The Companions
by MechaHero
Summary: Just my headcanon on how the companions deal with different situations. Some shorts will be missing some companions just because I'm not sure how they would handle it.
1. if handed a cat

The Companions: if handed a cat

Deacon: has an allergy to cats but absolutely loves them, He holds it to his face and cries all over its soft belly as his face swells up. It's a very well-fed black and brown cat with short fur. The Sole Survivor insists on taking away the cat but every time s/he gets closer to him he scampers a few feet away. He physically regrets it for the next few days, but he decides he has lived lie to the fullest- even if he can't stop sneezing.

Strong: would be very confused at first and would investigate it for several minutes before petting it. I'm thinking one of those poufy white cats with the bitchy resting face and he just thinks it's the softest most innocent creature to ever grace the Commonwealth. When the SS tries to take the cat from him he simply responds, "Not now, Strong found milk of human kindness," and will not be parted with the cat. He keeps it and calls it 'Small Strong'.

Preston: is more of a dog person, but thinks cats are okay. When the Sole Survivor hands him a cat, he holds it out in front of him, just under its arms so its legs hang freely. It's a long-haired grey cat with a short tail and it just stares at him, blinking slowly and meowing loudly, almost annoyed. He sets it down next to him and pats it on the head. However when the cat plops down and rolls onto its back, he loses it and pets the tummy. Unfortunately it was a trap and Preston walks away, grumpily muttering, with a few good-sized scratches in his arm.

Piper: surprisingly enough cannot stand cats. There's something about them that makes her angry. When handed one she puts it down and nudges its butt with her foot, "shoo." When it doesn't shoo, she storms off in the opposite direction.

Nick: thinks cats are alright, doesn't mind having them around but he's not too excited about them. On the other hand, cats LOVE him and end up hanging around the agency (much to Ellie's dismay because she too is allergic). When handed a cat he sits down and puts it in his lap, petting it until it lay down. Maybe it's because he's got warmth radiating from different heat sources in his body, but cats just fall asleep quickly on him- this short-haired grey cat is no exception. Even after he puts it on the ground so he can go about his business, it follows him around until he sits down again so it can reclaim its spot.

Danse: doesn't care about cats one way or the other. However, when handed a calico, he puts it inside his jacket and zips it up so it can poke its little head out. "I'm calling it Recruit," he says and walks away quickly to avoid any kind of retort from the Sole Survivor. Apparently he loves cats but is under the impression that pets are designed to be for civilians only. Obviously this is not the case

Hancock: loves cats but they don't care for him at all. When the Sole Survivor attempts to hand him a black and white cat, it writes in their hands and puts up quite the fuss when handed to Hancock. It gives of several low growls before turning into hisses. He is distraught. This happens every time, but this time he puts up a fight and grasps it firmly to his chest. The cat, though, is not having it, and claws its way up his chest, onto his shoulder, and jumps on the ground before running away at full speed. Hancock pretends not to care but on the inside he is inconsolable.

Cait: likes cats but doesn't really want one around. She thinks "they are too much work and when they tire of you they just run off." When handed a pretty hefty orange cat she can't help but smile at it and make cooing noises. When it meows, she meows back. Suddenly she gets very emotional and gives the cat back. Assuming she has allergies, SS doesn't ask any questions, but in reality Cait just doesn't want to get attached to a pet that might end up leaving her.

MacCready: has never really had the chance to build an opinion about cats. When handed a small, fluffy, brown cat he smiles like an idiot. "This is nice, it's so soft." After a minute or two of holding it and grinning at its very small face he looks at the Sole Survivor with big eyes and says "can we keep it? His name is walnut and I've already made up a back story for him!" At that point, SS can't deny the request.

Currie: has had cats around her for as long as she can remember and thinks they are interesting creatures. She doesn't want to take the cat at first because she has never actually held one, but once she is holding the small yellow cat she takes it all in. It's soft, but a little too bony, smells strange, but is pretty cute. It meows and she giggles. She is holding it like a baby, cradling it in her arms, and she looks like such a mom. SS can't bring themselves to take the cat away from her since they get along so well.

X6-88: has never experienced cats. Once handed a very fussy kitten he struggles to keep it in his hands. He looks for the SS so he can give the kitten back but s/he is nowhere in sight. He sets it down and watches it like a hawk, making sure it doesn't bump into anything or tumble over. He's very protective of it and can't help but make sure it's safe. Not sure if he'd describe it as cute or cuddly, but definitely defenseless and that's enough to make him want to look over it.


	2. and the opposite sex

How the companions treat the opposite sex

Preston: Very professional. He treats women like they are on the same level as he is. He is very respectful and doesn't have a superiority complex. If there is a lady that is a high rank than he is, he respects her as he would respect a man. If a female SS becomes general he treats her as such and submits to the reality that he is beneath her in rank. However he will not use charm on a woman in such position, he doesn't really consider gender to be a factor in his relationship with people. He is almost never the one to flirt first and tends to reciprocate.

Piper: She tries to be one of the guys, putting up a front that tends to make men comfortable around her. She would prefer to have a gang of male friends than a handful of potential lovers. When a guy gets too close and tries to make moves at her she pretends to be oblivious and tries to keep them as just friends. If that doesn't work she breaks off communication with them. She is not the type to flirt unless she intends to be with that person for the long road.

Nick: Absolute gentleman to the point that would make someone like Piper either uncomfortable or irritable. Most ladies consider him a heart throb due to his personable charm however he is not kind because he means to woo women, but because that's how he thinks they deserve to be treated. When flirted with he catches on pretty quickly, but lets them down easy. His goal isn't so much to be a people-pleaser, but to make the general vibe of the community positive; he believes that positivity feeds positivity. Because of this persona he doesn't flirt often, when he does he's hit or miss- he's either smooth as butter or pathetic and stumbles on his words, depending on the situation.

Cait: A huge flirt, but they are empty words. Mostly she does it to get a rise out of men, but she wants nothing to do with them, at least not in that way. When flirted with it usually ends messy as she tends to get violent fast. When it comes to friendship it is certainly a trial of feats starting with her sizing up a man. She comes off as rude, but that's just because she needs to know if they will be able to accept her at her worst. Once she's made a male friend, however, she is loyal to the end, willing to die for them if need be. When she actually does get around to meaningful flirting, she's great at it because at that point she's let down all her walls and peeled away all his layers.

MacCready : Kind of a tossup. He's a big flirt but only once he's sure what he wants and at that point he won't want anyone else. He's very snarky but respectful enough to the right people. Not big on women in authority, they make him uncomfortable and sort of wound his masculinity. If hired by a female SS he's a little apprehensive at first because not only does he not do well with authority, but she's a woman. Eventually a woman in authority will earn enough of his respect for him to actually listen to her and be willing to get to know her on more of a personal level, leading to the possibility of a friendship. When he's flirted with he's an absolute fool, giggly and doesn't really know how to react.

Danse: Excessively professional. Women are on the same level as men until they outrank him, then he's sort of an asshole- but he knows how to pick his fights. He has a major superiority complex and practically makes sure everyone knows it. He is not quick to make friends let alone those of the opposite sex. He does not flirt, not before he's willing to take off his power armor. Once he's out of his shell he's more likely to say nice things, but not quite in a flirtatious way. When flirted with he does not react, he takes it in and he perseverates over it over and over and it keeps him up at night sometimes, but he will not openly react. At some point he will react and take her by surprise by doing something special, but he's not particularly good with romantic words.

Hancock: At first, he's pretty shallow and will treat a woman how he sees fit depending on her charisma, but for him actions speak louder than looks. If a lady is able to make him feel like he is important, valued, or in any way appreciated that's a big time score for him. He won't flirt so much in the beginning, but once he feels that appreciation the affection flows like water. Whether or not the female SS feels the same way, he just keeps laying on the smooth words thick. When he's flirted with before this he will let it roll off. It's always nice to hear that women are into him, but if it's lacking respect through actions it'll be pretty one-sided. After she does something that rubs him the right way, however, he melts like a sap.

Currie: She treats men, at first, like specimen. She observes them, how they carry themselves around her. She is quick to come up with stereotypical notions about them; the big strong type probably doesn't think much, the smooth talker is only after one thing, and so on. Once she gets to know them even a little she forms whole new ideas about them- but it's once they actually have a conversation with her that she finally gets the final analysis of them. She flirts in very subtle ways that can easily be misread for casual conversation and she doesn't do it often. When flirted with he gets all bashful and doesn't quite believe someone would openly flirt with her. When she finds 'the one' she's very open to light PDA and enjoys cuddles.

Deacon: very sarcastic with everyone, this knows no bounds; he doesn't put gender as a variable on anyone. If someone does something stupid he deserves whatever sass he throws at them, woman or no. He doesn't mind if a female is in authority so long as she's not a complete jerk. When someone flirts with him he waves it off, and mocks them for being such a big lug. He's fine not being in a romantic relationship and does not typically make any advances on women. When he does, however, it's with someone that he trusts beyond any doubt. There's something about pouring his entire self into somebody and having them know everything about him that he finds comforting- even if he isn't exactly being truthful.

Strong: Does not see the difference between male and female other than the physical, genetic differences. If a woman tries to boss him around he will put up a fight, not because she is a woman, but because he sees himself as superior over humans in general. Strong does not flirt and does not accept any flirts. If a woman were to flirt with him, he would simply refuse to understand the concept. Strong feels that he is complete and does not need another entity in his life. He would be perfectly content wandering the Commonwealth on his own or in the company of his brother super mutants, so long as he's in charge.


	3. And Being Broken up With by the SS

MacCready: shuts himself away for months at a time, refusing to speak to anyone, drinking himself into a coma. He doesn't cry when it first happens, he tries to be strong. However once left to his own devices breaks down and cries. His parting words are a cross of self-depreciation and trying to be sweet like; "I should have known that you were too good for a guy like me." At first the other companions worry about him and try to give him reassuring words but after the first few months it becomes annoying. He never fully recovers.

Cait: comes about as close as you can to a drastic drug relapse. After a few days of struggling not to use again she decides that she's better than that and returns to the Combat Zone to take out her bitter rage on others. Every good moment that ever happened between the two of them is erased; there was only manufactured spite and malice. Her last words to him/her are silence, angry silence, and she gets close to punching them in the face, but uses everything she's got to restrain herself. If she ever saw him/her again she'd knock their teeth down their throat.

Hancock: spirals out of control; spends most of the time hooking up with other people and hitting the chems a little too hard. After a month or so of one night stands and a hefty bill for all the chems, he cleans himself up. He cuts down (but not off) the drugs, sleeps alone and takes care of business. He moves on and betters himself from the heartbreak. His last words are few but sharp, he'll nod for a while and say "yeah, you're probably right to leave." After he's reconstructed himself he is ready and willing to come face to face with his ex because he's completely over them and they are just another lost cause.

Deacon: acts as if he saw it coming from miles away. He goes on without them like he had never let his guard down in the first place. He doesn't feel heartbroken, just disappointed. What he says when it's over is nothing but disappointment, "well I should have known you'd lose interest," and he shakes his head and walks away. In the months after he never forgets the time they spent together and really wishes things went differently.

Preston: filled with regret immediately. He feels like not only did he deserve to be left alone, but it was his fault. There are times for a few weeks after that he considers going back to him/her and straightening everything out, but he is talked out of it every time by conscience, and occasionally a minuteman officer. He cries once he realizes it's over and he tears up in their final conversation. He's not able to say much, but what he does say is "sorry for everything I couldn't do for you.

Nick: is furious, but only because he doesn't want to let on how hurt he is, and he's in agony. There is a yelling match, he won't let them go without a fight and he's willing to say somewhat hurtful things if it means they'll stay- something like "well if you weren't ready to get over your dead husband/wife you shouldn't have lead me on!" He'll thrash his office, tipping over cabinets and throwing case files across the room. Once he's finished his tantrum he'll sit down and cry, mostly in pain. He never thought he could hurt so badly. He never fully recovers.

Currie: slaps them, hard. She cries as she walks away and starts to run as she can no longer control the tears. The words she says as the relationship comes to a close are mostly questions, "what are you saying? What do you mean? You can't mean that! Why are you saying this?" It takes her a while to move on from the breakup, but she's able to do it thanks to the help of some of the other companions (specifically Cait, who insists she get mad and get over her feelings for him/her). After some time she is able to move forward and get back to work.

Danse: cannot look them in the eye as they are ending it with him. He doesn't say anything at first until the SS walks away but then he asks quietly, almost out of audible volume, "was it me?" He is quiet for a long time afterwards and is pretty inconsolable even to the best effort of his fellow BOS soldiers. He has very depreciative thoughts too, thinking that no one could want him, he didn't deserve to be happy and that no one loves him. After about 5 months he seems to have recovered, but he never makes a complete comeback.

Piper: can't believe it, she thought everything was going fine, in fact that's exactly the last this she says to him/her. A few times after the fat she wants so badly to slander their name in the paper, but her job meant to much to her to let it slip into scandal like that. She's over it about a month later, but very bitter about it and the breakup remains to be a touchy subject for about a year. If the SS does cross her path again she will refuse to see them and shut them out.


	4. and the snow

AN: **_I know it doesn't snow_** , but I thought it'd be fun.

Piper: can't believe it's snowing; she's heard about snow and considered to be an impossible phenomenon. Initially she doesn't want anything to do with it but when it doesn't stop and it starts layering on the ground she investigates it. Sure it's radioactive, she doesn't spend too much time in the snow, but she really enjoys it and Nat loves it. When it gets progressively colder she likes it a lot less and bundles up in any layers she can get her hands on. Overnight, as the snow piles up, she decides it's not something she ever wants to experience again. After the fact, once the snow is long gone, she kind of misses it, but only the idea of it.

Preston: doesn't let it bother him too much, but he can't help but feel bitter towards it. It's so cold and he's not able to get enough done because he gets such a chill. While at the castle the water closest to the shore gets a little frosty and he doesn't mind that so much because that means the mirelurks might leave them alone for a while. This proves to be the case when the crustaceans haven't been spotted for several days and settlers and minutemen are able to relax. Once a snowball fight breaks out, he's simply not able to stand idly by and joins the onslaught and finally has some fun with it.

Deacon: thinks snow is great. He goes out in short sleeve shirts, letting his skin redden from the cold, and rolls around in it, laughing like he's never had so much fun in his life. He plays with Dogmeat, tossing handfuls of snow at him and watching the dog nip at the falling powder. He even forces the SS to build a fort with him, though s/he does not feel the same way about snow. When asked why he likes it so much, Deacon just laughs and shrugs "I don't know, there's just something about it? Kinda makes you forget we're in this nuclear hell."

Currie: very curious about it and super apprehensive. She's not sure if it will slow her capacitors or what, but she elects to stay out of it. When in the coming days people come to her about mild radiation sickness she feels as if her concerns are confirmed and she's glad she's stayed inside. If the SS tries to bring her out into it she refuses and gets very nervous. "What are you, scared?" She'll shake her head and sit down and just become reserved. She cannot identify why she feels so odd about this weather anomaly, she just chooses to go with her instinct on it.

X6-88: Fucking. Hates. Snow. Whenever he leaves the comfort of a house he brings a flamer and melts any snow in his path. He doesn't trust it because it is very unfamiliar. He gets increasingly more irritable the longer he has to be out in the snow and it gets to the point where he will not travel with the SS just to avoid being outside; he does not even apologize. There is no underlying enjoyment, no back of the mind longing for being in the snow,; every fiber of his being just hates the stuff.

Danse: welcomes the cold embrace of snow. He doesn't play in it, but he will sit outside for hours and just let it cover him. He prefers the cold and is so excited when it starts snowing that he leaves his power armor (concerned that it might rust) and lays down on the roof of the nearest building- out of reach of others. When no one is looking he makes a very shapely snow angel, if he is caught by the SS, he will pull them down with him and have them join him in his snow shaping endeavors. He builds snowmen and shoots at them and just quietly enjoys the experience.

Nick: doesn't really care for it. The cold is not something he prefers, but he does like how it looks. There's something very reminiscent about it and it tugs at his memory until becomes very sad for reasons he can't seem to place. Ellie loves it, she throws together a few materials and makes earmuffs for herself and for Nick and he wears them when she's around but takes them off when she's not. Basically he spends a lot of time moping over these unexplainable feelings and the SS spends a lot of time with him, trying to comfort him, but it's near impossible because he can't put a reason on the sadness (which is very frustrating to both of them).

Cait: loves the snow, about as giddy as Deacon, but somehow more so. She dresses up in warmer clothes and dives right into snow banks as if they were piles of leaves. She can't stop herself from laughing and she feels this is the happiest she's ever been. She kicks over Danse's leftover snowman targets and cackles. She tries to build the biggest snowball imaginable. She catches snowflakes on her tongue (ending up pretty ill for actually consuming the rad snow, but she does not mind even a little bit). Once the snow is gone she can't wait for it to come back.

MacCready: doesn't care about snow one way or the other. He misses the sun while it's gone but now at least finally his wardrobe is coming in handy. He likes the aesthetic of snow; how it crunches underfoot, how footprints are left behind, that you can never tell when the landscape changes and you end up falling through the snow about 2 feet. He thinks it's funny when he's traveling with the SS and s/he goes plummeting into oblivion for a quick second. He kicks the snow up as he walks and can't help but whistle merrily, but he doesn't play in it any further than that.

Hancock: pretends to hate it, but wants so badly to go out in it and have fun. His reason for this is vastly unknown but it goes for a lot of other situations like anything remotely fun. When anyone is around he grunts at the weather, scorning it. But when it's just him (and possibly the SS) late at night he runs around the falling snow in the nude calling it the best natural high he never had to pay for. He quickly sprints back inside, shivering profusely, with a massive grin on his face. He then goes on to make an empty threat if the SS ever tells anyone about it, but in truth he had too much fun to be upset about anything.

[bonus]  
Strong: wants to destroy the snow. He can be found just outside the settlement, shooting aimlessly into the clouds and shouting angrily. When traveling with the SS he will become hostile if a clump of snow falls on him from a tree or ledge so it's best to just leave him be somewhere else.


	5. and proposing to the SS

****for the sake of giving the feeling of sincerity, my SS, Roger, will be featured.

Piper's Proposal

Piper looked around, inspecting every detail with the eye of a perfectionist. Everything had to be exactly as planned or… she shook her head and rubbed her hands together. "You don't think it's too much? A little over the top, maybe?" Nat smiled widely at her big sister, if she was lucky she'd be walking away with a new member of the family. She reached up and patted Piper's shoulder, "you worry too much, which is weird, but it's going to be fine." Piper rocked nervously and started tearing petals from the hub flower she was holding onto. She threw the petals around and Nat did the same. "You should really try to relax, Piper, he's going to see right through you." Piper's face flushed and she tried to take deep breaths but she only managed to hold her breath.

"Are you ready? Should I go get him?" Nat stood by the door, head cocked to the side, a smile still plastered on her face. Piper shook her whole body trying to calm her nerves. "Well it's now or never right?" Nat giggled and left the building. Piper looked around for a place to position herself; she didn't think this part through. She tried sitting down, legs crossed. She stood up and leaned against a wall but that didn't really work for her either. "Come on now, what are you doing, just be casual." She put her hands on her hips and shifted her weight so that her body had more shape but she stumbled to the side. "Dammit!"

Suddenly she heard the latch on the door wiggle and she ran to the back of the room, out of sight from the doorway. Roger walked in and took in the sight. There were candles lit, which was strange and seemed pretty perilous in a print shop. "Uh, Piper?" He saw petals askew and wasn't sure what was going on, was she okay?" "Nat sent me over; she said you had something for me?" Piper's stomach was caught in her throat and she wish she would have at least rehearsed this part. "Oh, Blue; there you are, yeah, I did have something…" She laughed nervously as she came into his line of sight. He was taken aback, she was wearing a shimmery dark blue dress and she looked almost unrecognizable.

"I've got to say, you're making me feel underdressed for whatever this situation is." She felt herself blush and she didn't even try to fight it, not this time. "Yeah, I feel pretty silly in this thing." Roger reached up and stroked her face, cupping her jaw in his palm, "You look beautiful, Piper." She cleared her throat, feeling tears welling up but not ready to turn the waterworks on just yet. "Wow, you're making this harder than I thought it would be, let me just…" She stepped back and opened a note she had crumpled up. Roger smiled and crossed his arms as she began to read. "You've taken me on adventures that I never thought would be possible. I've seen more of the Commonwealth than I ever wanted to, fought grade A criminals, watched you bring down the Institute and seen the bad side of a deathclaw more times than most would have survived through." She paused, smiling but covering her mouth with the back of her hand- Roger was beaming.

"It was all great because I was with you, and I can't imagine following anyone else all over this forsaken shithole. So I guess-" She crumpled the note again and tossed it off to the side, her breathing became more shaky and she stretched out her arms down to her side. "I guess what I'm saying Blue is that I want to spend the rest of my life with you and- whooo, this is crazy, bare with me." Roger's smile became more sympathetic as he watched her struggle with her words. She knelt down in front of him and reached to grab his hands but her grasp was unsteady. "Blue, er, Roger… will you- will… you…" She couldn't hold back any more and she was internally beating herself up. Her hands dropped and one shielded her eyes from having to meet his. He knelt down to be at her height and scooped up her hands in his and kissed her knuckles. "Of course, Piper," he said, trying to remain calm, but his heart was beating out of his chest. She lunged forward, wrapping her arms around him, letting out a joyous sob that she played off as a laugh and he held her tight. Nat, who had been watching from the ever so slightly cracked door, was giggling quietly.

/

Preston's Proposal

Preston strolled by the recreation area of Sanctuary Hills when he spotted Mama Murphy and made a dangerously suspicious bee line right up to her. She raised her eyebrow and looked him up and down, "what did I do?" Preston, realizing he may have come off as on guard, eased up a little and tipped his hat. "I've got a favor to ask." Her lips pursed and sat down the armchair behind her, he joined her in sitting in a chair beside her. "So what needs getting done, Preston?" He sat in thought for a minute, not really sure how to ask what he was about to.

"You know I normally don't condone of your using chems but I need you to use your sight for something." Murphey sipped at her coffee cup filled with nuka cola and watched Preston closely. Something was up and she already didn't like it. "Well go on, what is it?" Preston looked around to see the room full of settlers minding their own business. "Maybe we should talk somewhere else." He stood up and left the room, Mama Murphey following him after he had disappeared into the early morning fog. They met at the end of the town in the low drown of the security turrets."

"First we have to agree that you don't tell him that I asked you to do this. Ever." Now she was interested, not only did she love gossip, but she loved anything she was supposed to keep a secret (even if she didn't keep it secret). He looked down at the ground and fumbled with something in his pocket and pulled out a tube of jet. Her eyes focused on it. "I need you to see if… if Roger…" A smile curled itself onto her face as she finished off the last bit of her drink. "Well, well, well, if it isn't love. You've had it bad for the general for a while now, you can't hide that from me, but this is precious!" Preston smirked and then sighed, "so will you help?"

Mama Murphy snatched away the jet and gave it a soft shake. "You should know, before I do this that you don't need my sight to tell you what he'll say." Preston turned to look her dead in the eye, "what are you saying?" He sounded so urgent, almost desperate and she clung to that for a brief moment before cackling and walking off. He was about to grab her by the shoulder before she said quietly, "we both know he'll say yes." He withdrew his hand and stood there for quite a while, eyes fixed on nothing in particular, but wide. His mind rushed and he grasped the ring in his pocket. "Okay."

Later that day, as Roger came into town, shaking the dust from his hair and patting it out of his clothes, Mama Murphy watched as Preston walked up quickly to him. She smiled, wishing she sat a little closer to hear the conversation, but watching it will do.

"I don't really know how to do this; I've never done this before." Roger wrinkled his nose and put his hands on Preston's shoulders. "Everything okay?" Preston twitched in anxiety under Roger's hands and sighed. "You already know how I feel about you, and maybe you don't but I feel like maybe we should take it to the next level." Roger laughed hardily and took his hands off Preston's shoulders. "What's this about? Are you saying what I think you are?" Preston's face was serious, he was afraid that Murphy was wrong and all of this was a mistake, but there was only one way to find out.

"How would you feel about being married?"

Mama Murphey watched from the distance as Roger held Preston to his chest, the look on Preston's face said it all. She hadn't had to plan a wedding in years, but she was always ready for the task. Remembering that she had some jet made her day even better.

/

MacCready's Proposal

If there was anything MacCready was ready for it was this, he had everything planned out and was so pumped up that he could hardly contain himself. "Daisy, baby, queen of sales, how are you today?" Daisy grunted, suspicious of his intentions. "What do you want, huh? Here to buy?" MacCready dropped his arms onto the counter and his smile couldn't be any cheesier. "I need to buy some stones, for this" he set a ring down, looking quite proud of himself. Daisy put her hand to her chest and she picked up the ring and investigated it.

"You're kidding me! Someone's finally won over this poor sap in front of me. Robert MacCready, getting hitched. I'll be damned." She handed the ring back to him and he laughed, "Alright, alright, that's enough. So do you have something for me?" Daisy pulled a lanyard off over her head and unlocked a drawer in front of her with key hanging from it, and pulled the drawer open. Robert leaned over the counter to look at the small gems, they were all so shiny. "What color do you want for the sweetheart? Diamond? Ruby?" "Sapphire," he interrupted her, eyes locked on the shimmering blue stone no larger than a pinhead.

She took some tweezers from her pocket and picked up the gem, holding it up. "That's it, that's the one, it's perfect." She watched his face and felt her old heart melt. She put the gem in a small pouch and put it on the counter. He patted around on his chest until he heard the jingle of caps, "how much do you want for it?" She sighed, remembering a time when she had been so in love. "Tell you what, MacCready, I've got a radroach problem in the back, you take care of those, you can have the jewel." His jaw dropped, radroaches were nothing, not near the worth of this gem. She smirked at him and locked the drawer up again. "Better get to it before I change my mind." Before she could blink an eye she heard him in the back room firing off a few rounds into the bugs.

Roger looked at the time on his pipboy, becoming uneasy. MacCready had asked him to be there, dressed for a night out, but he was running late. He sat down on the couch and listened to Magnolia singing softly in the other room. Now that he had thought about it, this was the very room where they had first met. He was running very late for MacCready standards, it had already been close to an hour after the rendezvous time. That's when he saw him, Roger stood up, but his legs were weak. MacCready was wearing slacks and suspenders and looked like a knockout, but he quickly remembered that he had been worried.

"What the hell, I thought you said you wanted me to-"MacCready cut him off with a strong kiss and he pulled Robert's face to his with his hand behind his neck. When he finally let Roger go he was breathing heavily, "I do want you." Roger was blown away, when did MacCready get so smooth? Before he could steady himself, MacCready was down on one knee, a silver colored ring with a blue jewel in his hand. Roger felt a chill go up and down his spine several times.

"Oh my god," Roger let slip from his throat, but it was unintentional. MacCready laughed. "So are you gonna marry me or what?" Roger didn't even realize he had been nodding the whole time. MacCready pulled him down into another kiss before sliding the ring onto his finger, it might have been a little small, but Roger never said anything about it.

/

Cait's Proposal

She and Roger were traveling together somewhere far east when they came upon an old gothic-looking chapel. They looked at each other, feeding off one another's sense of adventure. "Old place like that, bound to be some kind of loot, right?" Roger nodded, grinning and the lead the way up to the entrance. When they say it was barred, they split up to find a way in, not long afterwards, he heard her call out to him, "I've got something over here, I think."

They both soon stood over an opening to a cellar and armed themselves. "I'm betting ghouls, it's always ghouls." Roger tilted his head until his ear was just about on his shoulder. "You're probably right but for argument's sake… gunners." Cait smiled, this had been a little game of theirs since they started traveling together back a few months ago. Roger was careful to open the doors outward as they descended into the building.

It was dark and quiet and the smell of filth overpowered any other possible smell. They crept down quietly, Roger taking her hand as she made the last steps down onto solid ground. Both of them crouched down, weapons at the ready when all of the sudden a large crash came from somewhere upstairs. "Shit!" Cait shouted, but immediately regretted it, whispering this time, "what the hell was that?" Roger shrugged and continued on, thinking now that it was neither ghouls nor gunners that they were about to come face to face with.

As they came to a staircase they heard a low growling and they knew what it was. Roger exchanged his 10 mm pistol for a combat shotgun and proceeded upstairs. Before he got to the top he looked back at her and she met his eyes. "Maybe you should wait here, just in case?" Her face flushed violently "like hell, let's go already." Roger smirked at her before turning back and peering around the upper level of the building. Following closely, but not too close, Cait looked about cautiously. Before too long she saw the very end of a long spiky tail. She nudged Roger with her elbow and nodded toward the tail. They crept up behind the beast and prepared to take it by surprise only for the deathclaw to saunter forward a few feet, dragging its heavy leather tail behind it.

They followed it quietly, taking aim, and firing as rapidly as they could. The creature spun around and reared up to full size- this was a very large deathclaw. It roared and swung its powerful arm. Roger got in the way of Cait and took most of the damage except its nails dug into her arm, he let out a low yell. "Keep shooting!" he shouted, while sending more shells into its head and backing up. He would have to reload soon. "Let's get downstairs, quick" Cait grabbed onto the back of his collar and pulled him back towards the stairs. He pulled the trigger again- click- and the deathclaw picked him up by the chest and screeched into his face. "Roger!" Cait ran up behind the monster and rapid fired into the back of its skull until it dropped her companion.

It spun around and tried to swipe at her but she was quick to jump away from it. Roger took a bottlecap mine and armed it. "We need to go, Cait!" She ran around the beast, feeling the air move around her as it tried for another grab. She caught up with Roger and held onto his hand as he dropped the mine. They fell down the steps and Roger covered Cait's back by wrapping himself around her. The deathclaw tripped the mine and exploded in the blast. Roger clung onto Cait, both of them panting, despite the danger being over, he did not let go.

"Hey, Roger," Cait breathed heavily, finding his hands with her own and intertwining his fingers in hers. He didn't respond immediately, he felt a few ribs that had been cracked, he finally grunted in acknowledgement. "Would you marry me if I asked?" She felt him tense up and she worried, maybe she was too forward. He finally released her and sat back onto the ground, she turned to face him, seeing those deep gashes that left blood all over his armor, and she felt the sting of pain in her arm. "I-" he grabbed her by the hips and pulled her to him, kissing her gently. "Sure," he panted, "let's get married." He kissed her again and felt her smile. "but first, let's get you patched up," she said, digging through his pack for a stimpack.

/

Danse's Proposal

He fumbled with tying the bowtie that came with the prewar getup he scrounged up the other day. It wasn't until he found it that he knew it was meant to be. He slammed his hands down on the sink, fabric knotted clumsily around his neck. He didn't know what he was doing and it irritated him beyond belief. He closed his eyes and shook his head, letting his ears ring in his anger. "Uh, Sir?" Knight Rhys knocked on the doorframe before walking up to his superior. Danse glanced over at him before returning to his thoughts. Rhys looked at his pitiful attempt at tying a bowtie and smiled to himself, "let's take a look at you."

Danse groaned and straightened up, turning to Rhys and standing somewhat awkwardly. "If I may, sir?" Danse pinched the bridge of his nose and nodded, letting his arm fall back to his side. Rhys took up the ends of the knot and gave it a good shake, loosening the tangle. "I've known you for a good long while now, sir, and I've got to say this is a good look for you. Not the dressed up part, but the more… emotional part." The paladin shot him a look that was mostly menacing, but Rhys ignored it, this was a more familiar look anyway. Rhys stepped back once the bowtie actually looked how it was supposed to. "You look sharp, sir."

Danse held back the urge to shut him down, instead he muttered, "thank you." Rhys grinned and turned to leave the room before looking back, "if you don't have anyone else in mind, I'm available to be best man." Before he could give Dance the opportunity to snap at him he disappeared. Danse looked at himself again in the mirror, that man sure knew how to tie a knot. "Right." He slicked his hair back with his hand and watched it slowly spring up again. He walked down stairs and already missed the comfort of his suit of armor. As he came to the lobby of the police station, an audible gasp slipped past Scribe Haylen's lips. She was quick to press her hands over her mouth, but that didn't get rid of the smile that resonated to her eyes.

Once he stepped into the middle of the room he sighed, "how do I look?" Haylen giggled and said "sir, you look so handsome!" Rhys looked at her in horror, half jealous, half worried about how Danse would react. He just took a deep breath and nodded. "What are you going to say? Have you rehearsed it? Do you have a plan? Oh! What about rings?" Danse then gave her the same look he gave Rhys and she covered her mouth again and she whispered, "sorry, sir."

The tie felt tight around his neck and he pulled at his collar. He walked toward the door and held onto the doorknob for a minute or two, holding his breath as he finally stepped outside. Roger had his back turned to him, he smothered a cigarette under his boot and turned the radio off on his pipboy when he heard the door open and close behind him. He turned slowly and Danse felt his knees buckle as he saw how Roger looked at him. He didn't want to lose his cool, he had come this far, so he walked towards him.

"Wow, you clean up well, damn." Roger felt the hairs on his neck stand up and his hand reached back to massage his neck and calm himself down. Danse was now standing in front of him and he found himself at a loss for words. "I take it we're not clearing out that location Rhys was telling me about?" Danse let the corners of his mouth twitch into a small grin. Roger continued, loving his smile, as rare as it is. "Looking like that, I doubt those two are ever going to let you live it down." There it was, a full blown smile, Roger melted. "I have something I need to say and I don't really know how to say it. I've never felt… like this." Roger grabbed his hands and smiled, not looking him in the eye in order to make him feel more comfortable.

"I want you to be… with me… always." Danse groaned, feeling like what he was trying to say was coming out wrong, Roger tightened his grip on his partner's hands. "I want to be with you always and-" he sighed, "Christ." Roger laughed, moving his hands up Danse's arms, onto his shoulders, then to his chest. "I know, big guy." Danse was relieved, he held onto Roger's shoulders and he pulled him into a kiss, he had a hard time letting go now that he had him. From the window Haylen grinned wide, cooing, and she had to be pulled away by Rhys.

/

Hancock's Proposal

Roger laughed loudly as the rest of the bar patrons laughed with him and took drinks. "You're kidding me, all that talk about baseball being a massacre's sport and it's nothing like that? No fucking way." Roger nodded at John, "it's true! Just a bunch of guys throwing a ball around." Hancock cackled and ordered another round. The history of Diamond city had largely been twisted into a raider's dream over the past 200 years and Roger thought it was finally time to set the record straight. The two of them knocked back a shot of vodka each and laughed for a minute.

"What do you say we get outta here, eh?" Roger raised an eyebrow at the ghoul's request, "yeah, let's go." Hancock grinned and threw a handful of caps on the counter, "make sure none of these lovely folks go thirsty, Charlie." A large cheer from the heavy volume of patrons that night echoed until they left the bar. Outside, the two shared a cigarette and looked out into the nightlife of Goodneighbor. John looked at the side silhouette of his companion's face and let out a slow, nervous sigh.

"It's still early, you wanna go someplace nice? Fool around a little?" Roger blushed and his face burned, this was new. Generally when Hancock was feeling frisky, he didn't ask so out rightly. "I, uh," He tried to calm down his pulse but it was no use, his mind was racing, he swallowed hard. John had a mischievous look, grinning deviously. "Come on, let's go eat then." Hancock patted Roger on the back and led the way through the town. "Let's go to my place, maybe we can find something to do." He looked back at Roger, who was still red in the face, before laughing deeply and continuing to walk along.

Once they got to the state house, Roger had more than a good buzz going, and had a hard time keeping his hands to himself. "Wow, you're a mess, what a lightweight," Hancock laughed, not putting up any resistance. They climbed to the top of the winding staircase and sat in a room with the balcony overlooking the town. Once there, John finally returned all this affection Roger was coming at him with and had a great idea. "Hey, wait up for a minute, I need to get on your level," he dug into a pocket of the uniform Roger was peeling off of him. He shook the small container of jet before a deep inhale of it.

He kissed him hard and stepped away from Roger, leading him toward the balcony. Roger wasn't nearly as drunk as he was acting, he just wanted to play along, finally give Hancock the upper hand. As he got to the balcony he let his hands explore John's chest, moving upward until clasped behind his neck. The mayor felt himself ache to get Roger in bed but there was just one more thing that he had planned for that night. He pried himself back from Roger and turned his back to him to face the night.

"People of Goodneighbor!" he announced, getting the attention of the townsfolk. Roger felt light-headed; _did he have to do this now_? "I could think of no better way than to bring someone closer in my life than anyone before." He turned to Roger and pulled him forward so the crowd could see him, he suddenly felt very exposed and he didn't know what to do so he just waved and two or three people waved back to him. He then turned his attention to Hancock, making a 'what the hell are you doing?' face, but he just smiled in return. He pulled him in close and took of his rather large hat. "What do you say we get married?" Roger laughed, a toothy grin spread over this face, and nodded before lunging into him. They were both knocked off balance and Roger smiled into each kiss, getting rid of the rest of Hancock's clothes quickly.

/

Curie's Proposal

She smoothes out her yellow dress made complete with a white apron and spins around, "I love it! What is the value?" The caravan worker chewed on a strand of razor grain and tipped her head from side to side, "eh, call it 14 caps and you've got yourself a deal." Curie wiggled her nose before handing over the caps and walked off. As she passed a few settlers they acknowledged her new outfit in the form of whistles and woops. She blushed lightly and waved to them, continuing on her way to the makeshift lab Roger had built for her.

"Today is the day!" she whispered in excitement, barely able to contain herself. Once in her comfy place that she had made a second home for herself she bounced with glee. She strolled to her computer terminal and checked on the status of her newest experiments. She had been working on new strains of plants for the potential fruit variations. So far she hadn't been successful so her lab was littered with pots and pots of beautiful flowers that would never grow to fruit trees. It was discouraging, but she kept trying.

These plants would be ready in the next three or four minutes and she could not hold in her excitement. Then there was a loud tap at the door. Catching her by surprise, Curie gasped quietly before opening the door. "Oh, Roger, wonderful you've come at a great time!" She took him by the hands and led him into her lab. He looked around in amazement at all the color she'd managed to create in these plants. "You did all this? Curie, this is beautiful." She looked back at him and smiled sweetly. Three pods on the wall began beeping shrilly and she ran up to them, leaving Roger to watch her.

He looked at her with such joy, all her energy, good vibes and beauty made him feel good. Her excitement about this current project lit him up and he walked over to stand with her. The pods let out compressed steam as they opened. There was a plant with a bright orange flower, another one with wilted leaves and another one with deep green leaves and small bulbs. He watched her face, not really sure what to make of all this information that the machines were spitting out on rolled paper. She held the receipts that each pod printed and made a very unsure look.

"Well?" Roger asked, wrapping his arm around her lower back. She sighed, sounding disheartened. "I don't think this batch came out very well. That one didn't make it, that one looks like a phenotypic replica of that one over there, and this one…" She fell silent as she read the last receipt, for the plant that had the small bulbs. "Oh!" Roger felt relief; he didn't like seeing her so defeated. "Is that one a strong maybe?" She was bouncing again, a grin making its way onto her lips. "Oh my, Roger, this one could be it!" She let the receipt fall and swing from the pod, she held his face in her hands and kissed him gently, but eagerly. "I may have done it! Do you know what this means?" She knew he didn't know, as many times as she explained it to him, she knew he wouldn't understand but she was okay with that. "Something great, right?" he sputtered out and she laughed and span around the room. She looked like a something out of a fairytale he remembered from his childhood as she span in that dress. He'd give anything for her to be this happy forever.

"Silly, it means that I may have successfully may have genetically created a fruit tree, or at the least a fruit plant, a whole new fruit without the hazard of radiation!" She was absolutely giddy and this was his favorite look on her. Finally she returned to his arms and gave him a few soft kisses before looking up at him, he was so in love with her in that moment. "There is one more thing, Roger," she said just barely audible. "What is it?' he was on cloud nine.

"I would be honored if I could call you my husband." She said, playing with his earlobe between her thumb and forefinger. He gave a playful scowl before saying, "funny, I was just about to propose to you. I'd love to call you my wife." She closed her eyes, still smiling, and rubber her nose against his before going in for another kiss.

/

Nick's Proposal

"You sure you're alright, Nicky? I can practically hear those gears working overtime." Ellie watched Nick pace around and ignored the annoyed look he gave her. He had gone through an entire pack of smokes in the past 20 minutes and he had just pulled out a new one and was tapping it on his hand. "What if he doesn't feel the same way? I mean I keep thinking of the worst case scenario and-" Ellie cut him off "and just what, exactly, is the worst thing that could happen?" Nick stopped in his tracks and was trying to tear the plastic off the pack, Ellie grinned as if she had out thought him. "Well he, maybe he wouldn't even want to be friends after I say something?"

Ellie tapped her foot against her supporting leg and sat fully back onto a desk. "I don't know, Nick, that seems pretty unlikely. Think about it, a guy like him, a guy like you…?" Nick pressed his hand onto his hat and sat down in the chair next to her. "And that's another thing. I've never felt… with a man." He felt his face hum as circuits fired and misfired over and over again. Ellie's face lit up with a mild pink tinge, he never talked with her about his feelings so this was a special treat.

There was a knock on the door that startled Nick so badly that he almost tore the pack of cigarettes in half. Ellie watched as he stood up and paced more erratically, tufts of smoke escaping the exposed wired cavity in his neck. "Stop it, Nick, you need to calm down. If you don't go out there and talk to him, I will." Nick applauded her putting her foot down and breathed deeply, "well alright. Don't wait up for me." She giggled and watched him leave the building.

"Ah, Roger, I'm glad you could make it out tonight." Roger smiled and shrugged, "I don't see why I wouldn't be able to, things have been pretty calm lately." Nick nodded, swishing his coat out behind him and putting his hands in his pockets. "Hell of a night, huh?" the moon looked closer than it had since Roger had been out of cryo sleep. "Wow, I guess I hadn't noticed the moon tonight." Nick rubbed the back of his neck and started walking, Roger followed him. "I heard that you wanted to see me, is everything alright?" Nick let his hand drop to his side and they continued walking in bated silence.

"I did want to see you, I've got a lot on my chest, but first I want to find us somewhere to sit and enjoy the view." Nick led the two of them toward the bleachers where they made their way all the way up. The moon was certainly bigger up here, and city below lit up nicely. Nick sat down and spread his arms out onto the seat backs on either side of him. To his surprise, Roger sat right next to him on his left. Nick swallowed hard but didn't remove his arm. "I was thinking about our friendship and how close we've become lately." Roger nodded, trying not to take his eyes off the moon, feeling his pulse speed up in his wrist.

Roger put his arm on the armrest between their seats and let his fingers graze Nick's leg. Nick swallowed hard and he took another deep breath. "You and I, what are we?" Roger brought his brows together in a frown and tilted his head. "I don't know what you mean." Nick groaned and grit his teeth, "I mean are we friend or… or are we more than that?" Ellie, who had been watching and listening from a relatively close distance, dropped her face into her hands in second-hand embarrassment.

Roger let his fingers drag from Nick's thigh all the way to his knee and felt him shudder under his touch. "I thought we'd talked about this? You know I have feelings for you, I know you don't exactly feel the same but-" Nick cut him off, "see, that's where you're wrong!" Roger looked surprised. "Really, when did that change?" Nick faced him, he would have been horribly flushed if he had the capacity, instead he was breathing heavily, not sure what to do or say. "I…" Nick was caught in his head; too worry to act on his feelings even though he had nothing to lose, "ah fuck it!"Nick grabbed Roger's collar and brought him to a kiss. There was so much angst behind it, Roger's eyes stung because he had waited for so long for Nick to feel the same way he did, tears built up but never formed. The broke apart because Roger could no longer breath.

Roger was breathing heavily, both of them looking each other over. "Are you about to cry?" Roger shook his head and wiped his nose, "allergies." Nick cracked a smile and stroked his thumb over his cheek. "We should keep this going." Roger smiled also "yeah, let's stay like this." Nick's eyes flashed once he locked onto Roger's, "maybe forever?" Roger's heart may have skipped a beat. He didn't know if he was ready for that kind of relationship. He broke eye contact with Nick and looked out at the stands, "maybe," he said finally.

Nick wasn't surprised, he had kept Roger waiting for this long, it was fair for him to be kept waiting for however long it would take. Nick held onto Roger's hand and looked up at the moon, it sure was a big moon. "I'm willing to try for forever if you are, Nick," Roger said, he knew Nick was new to being in a relationship with a man so he had to consider Nick's apprehensiveness these past months. "I'll try my best." Nick said at last, and they sat there in comfortable silence for the next couple hours.


	6. and being called the dead spouse's name

The Companions: being called the dead spouse's name

Preston: is a perfect gentleman

She couldn't help but laugh at his jokes and she put his hand on his, still giggling. "Shit, Nate I-" suddenly the smile faded from her face and she looked at him in horror. "Oh my god, Preston-" He held up his hand, her face was warm with embarrassment, she was shaking her head. "It's alright. Like you said, loving them does not stop you from loving me." He smiled weakly at her, stroking her chin with his thumb. It was only a matter of time before something like that happened and he had prepared himself for it in advance. "Really, it's okay," he tried to console her but her eyes were glazed over, she felt so ashamed. He pulls her over to him and holds her tight from behind. Soon, after she calms down enough for their time together to go back to normal, they continue to laugh.

Piper: jealous, but doesn't hold onto it for long

It's in the midst of a lover's quarrel when Nate accidentally drops the wrong name. Piper is upset that he doesn't take her traveling as much as he used to but he insists that it's to keep her out of danger. "Blue, you know I can handle myself and if you really wanted to protect me the best place for me to be is with you!" "No, that's not how it works, Nora!" He doesn't even realize what he's done at first until she gets this look on her face of pure betrayal. She turns her back on him and doesn't say anything else about the fight they were just having. "Oh come on, Piper, it was a mistake." She turns quickly and snaps back at him, "really, Roger? How many times are you going to use that excuse? Why are you with me if you can't get her name out of your mouth?" He leaves for a while and brings back a case of quantums, she appreciates the gift and they make up.

Curie: is only worried for the wellbeing of the other

They are out adventuring, talking about the future experiments Curie would like to work on and it reminds him of his time with his wife, she was also a scientist after all. "It's so great that you have all these ideas to better the future, Nora." They stop walking at the same time, realizing what he had said. "Oh, Nate, I'm so sorry. Are you okay?" She cups his face in her hands and tries to meet his eyes, but he's so guilty for saying the wrong name that he's afraid to look at her. "Nate, please, talk to me, are you okay?" Finally, once he knows she's not mad at him, he looks her in the eye and smiles. "I'm sorry, I don't know why I said that." He says and he embraces her, but she is still concerned.

Hancock: does not want to stir the pot, figures eventually it won't happen again

They wake up in the morning, she's resting on his chest still half asleep. "Good morning, good-looking," he says, almost purring in satisfaction with last night's events. She yawns and giggles, good morning, Nate." She knows immediately that she's messed up, but doesn't say anything, but neither does he, though she does feel him tense up. He looks down at her, hoping she's okay in the head and not throwing herself into some mental turmoil. He felt her freeze up so he knows she knows, but he doesn't want to hurt her feelings. He strokes her hair and just looks up at the ceiling, trying not to let this dictate how his day goes.

MacCready: just the most understanding person ever

It happens during a firefight, as they are taking on the last of a small settlement of raiders, she sees MacCready taking a lot damage and her instincts kick in. "Nate, just get out of here and let me take 'em!" He hears it and listens, knowing that she must feel so strongly that he stays safe that she uses that name. It doesn't go unnoticed to her either; as soon as the raiders are cleared out she looks for him and begins to apologize but he just takes her into a hug and doesn't let go. He holds her so tight that she gets emotional and cries into his chest. "I know, it's okay, you know I've done the same thing and you've been so understanding," he pulls her back and wipes her eyes until she smiles. "There, just like new."

Cait: takes it as a compliment

They are sparring together one day when she pops him good in the jaw, nearly knocking him off balance. She looks terribly proud of herself as she helps him steady himself. "Damn, Nora, who taught you to hit like that?" At first she thinks she's racked his brain a little too hard, but then he looks at her apologetically. "I'm sorry, Cait, I didn't mean-" "No, it's fine, you must think I'm pretty hot to call me the name of your ol' wife." She is pleased, on the inside she is glowing, he must finally love her as much as he loved his late wife and she could not be happier.

Danse: mixed emotions, mostly sad

It's after they finish a BOS mission and finally settle down in a settlement that she slips up. They're about to lay down together and get ready to sleep and she sits at the end of the bed, kicking off her shoes. "I'm thinking, Nate, maybe next time we should just let someone… else…oh" She knows before she's even done talking and she's afraid to look back at him until he feels his hand on her shoulder and she jumps a little. "Hey, are you okay?' His voice is so soft she barely recognizes him. She turns to face him, tears building in the corners of her eyes and she shakes her head, plummeting into his chest and she holds onto him. "I'm so sorry, you know I love you, I don't know why I said that name, I'm so sorry." She just hopes he won't be upset with her, but he's just worried about her and a little sad that she isn't over her husband. He just sits there with her in his lap, comforting her until she calms down.

Nick: hurt and pretty upset

She doesn't even remember how Nate's name came up but she wishes she never said it. They were in a fight because of it; she was pounding on the desk, demanding that he just let it go. He's pointing at her, yelling about how come she can't just let him go and let the dead stay dead. "I've moved on from my memories of Jenny, you need to get your head out of your ass if this relationship means anything to you!" She was furious at this point and headed for the door but didn't leave without saying, "I've moved on, the fact of the matter is that I love you too much, I let myself believe that you were him!" He ran up quick next to her and pushed the door shut before she could open it all the way and slipped his arm around her. The anger in her eyes burning off into tears and becoming sadness too fast for her to comprehend. He shook his head, "I didn't know, Nora, I had no clue and I'm a fucking detective." She let her head fall onto his shoulder and cried in anger as he held her

Deacon: tries his best to ignore it but ends up talking about it hours later

"You called me Nate earlier; he was your husband, wasn't he?" Deacon leaned against the wall behind Nora as she worked on a gun. She stopped what she was doing and turned to face him and crossed her arms. "Are you upset?" she asked, setting the wrench down on the workbench behind her. He shook his head and put his hands up, "not at all, I just wanted to know if you want to talk about it, I'm here for you." She grinned, appreciating that he was so available and open-minded. She kissed him on the cheek, right near the mouth, "I don't need to talk about it if you don't." He nodded, "cool."


	7. and returning home after a long time

Preston: not even remotely worried, but happy he's back

Curie: has been worried the whole time, but puts up a tough front

Cait: acts as if he hasn't been gone long, spends most of the time with Shaun

Strong: cannot believe he would just leave him surrounded by humans like that, demands to leave

Nick: was worried, but not enough to send a search party, relieved that he's back

Piper: always worried about his well-being, won't let him leave without her

Deacon: glad he's back but just gives him shit like it's nothing new

MacCready: wish he would have brought him along to watch his back, ready to travel with him immediately

Hancock: Pretty upset that he'd risk his life on his own, refuses to let him leave without a fight

Danse: mad as a hornet at first, but only because he's been very worried

Dogmeat: obviously thrilled

/

Preston, Curie, Cait, and Strong at Sanctuary Hills:

It had been just over three weeks since they had last seen the Sole Survivor, and the whole settlement takes note of his return. He looked unscathed for the most part, covered in radioactive dust and someone else's blood, but otherwise in good shape. He came across Preston first since he was patrolling the entrance to the town who met him with a broad smile. "It's good to see you back, general, never doubted you for a second." He patted Roger hard on the back and gave him a handshake. "I believe it, Preston, you're a good man. Anything new?" Preston nodded, there was always something going on for the Minutemen. "Well, there is a settlement that could use our help." Roger laughed, "so nothing new, huh? I'll go check things out in a little bit."

Roger continued walking through town when he came across a wild scene. Cait was standing with Shaun, facing the tool shed, teaching how to throw knives. He didn't want to interrupt so he just stood and watched for a moment. She was patient with him, which was more than he expected when it came to her and kids. Shaun threw a knife and it hit the shed and bounced off the wood giving off a shrill noise. Cait looked pretty excited, "alright, one more time, you've got it now." She ran to pick up the knife and as she turned to walk back to Shaun, she saw Roger and grinned. Once armed with the knife again, Shaun threw it, a little harder this time and it stuck for a moment before falling to the ground.

"Oh! Did you see that! You did it!" Curie, who had been watching from across the street, was on her feet now, clapping enthusiastically. Cait knelt down and gave Shaun a hug before sprinting over to Roger. "Your boy learns quickly, you ought to be proud. Oh and welcome back, it's about time!" Shaun also came over to greet Roger, pointing at the shed excitedly, "didja see me dad, didja?!" Roger ruffled his hair, "that's my boy, maybe Cait will take you hunting for mirelurks someday." Shaun beamed and looked quickly between Cait and his dad, "I'm gonna keep practicing, come on Cait, watch me!" She chuckled and followed Shaun back to the wooden-walled shed.

Roger looked over to Curie who was already half way over to him, he met her in the middle of the street and she hugged him. She was a hugger and it took months for him to be used to the idea of affection in a place like this. "I was so worried about you, why on earth would you travel alone?" Once she finally let him free she tried smudging the grime from his face, instead she only rubbed it in more and she scowled, he answered her look with a laugh. "I wasn't gone that long, besides you can bet I'll always end up back here."

"You better, or-" "HUMAN!" Curie gave Roger a pained look as Strong stomped his way over to them and she returned to her porch. She did not like being too close to Strong, he was just a very unknown variable. Once Strong reached Roger he gave him a heavy pound on the shoulder and shook him up a little bit. "Human leave Strong with many humans, all look funny, not lead good. Strong travel with human?" Roger laughed and removed Strong's giant hand from his shoulder, knowing that it will be leaving a significant bruise. "Once I head out, you can come with me, yeah." Strong grunted in acceptance and strutted off to wait for Roger.

/

Nick, Piper, and Deacon in Diamond City:

Piper knows he's back before he even makes it onto the field thanks to her eyes and ears around the city but Deacon beats her to the punch. He's standing outside, disguised as a guard and nearly breaks his cover to meet Roger. "Well, well, well, what kept you so long?" Roger looked around and made sure no one was paying too close attention. "You missed out, Deacon; I know how much you love battling deathclaws." Deacon laughed sarcastically and punched Roger in the chest playfully, knowing that he couldn't hit him back with this disguise. Roger coughed and groaned, smirking at his friend. "You know I'm going to have to get you back later, ass."

They both heard the unmistakable charge of Piper as she panted out into the intake area. She paused when she saw Roger talking with a guard. "Uh, officer, is there a problem?" Deacon screwed up his face into a sour grimace before turning to face Piper. "Yeah, is this a friend of yours?" Piper squinted, almost recognizing Deacon before nodding and crossing her arms. "If you had any idea who he was, you wouldn't be hassling him." Deacon faced Roger again, both of them trying to keep a straight face. "Some kind of big shot eh? Well I'll let you off this time, but next time I catch you breeding molerats for prize fighting, I'm throwing you out!" It was too much Roger, he started laughing but quickly turned it into a coughing fit.

As Deacon walked off to pretend patrolling the gate Roger continued on his way up to Piper. "Molerats? Really, Blue?" Roger battled to keep his composure, "don't worry, Piper, they've got nothing on me." Piper stopped in her tracks as Roger continued to walk into the city, "are you serious?" Roger laughed until she caught up with him again. "Where were you anyway? And why didn't you take anyone with you? You make a girl worry sick over you." Roger stopped and raised a brow at her. She blushed fiercely. And struggled to start speaking again as they walked on. "I mean I'm a girl and I was worried, but I didn't think you couldn't handle yourself, I uh… I'm glad you're back." Roger smiled, "me too, Piper, me too."

She stopped by her office and called after him, "you come see me before you leave again, okay? I'm serious, Blue." He waved as he rounded the corner to Nick's place. He opened the door just in time to see a rare sight. Nick was dancing with Ellie to a song on the Radio that Roger recognized as being sung by Magnolia. He smiled uncontrollably and took the seat near the door and watched them. It wasn't until the song was over until either of them realized he was sitting there. Ellie, always happy to see Roger, rushed over to give him an awkward side hug before scrambling out of the office.

Nick sat down across from Roger and offered over a cigarette which Roger took and he lit both his and his own. "Ellie's got a date tonight and wanted to learn a few moves from the pro." They both laughed and sat in silence, room becoming hazy with smoke. Roger switched the desk fan on to circulate the air and sat back comfortably. "So were you soul searching or what, bud?" Nick tapped his cigarette into the ashtray between them and took off his hat. Roger realized that was something he rarely did unless comfortable, this made him feel at ease. "I was just taking some time to myself, really, nothing special." Nick nodded, "well we missed you around here, you'll be sure to let us know when you need to be alone next time, right? A few of us were getting concerned with your absence." Roger ginned and shrugged, "didn't think anyone would notice much, I guess." Nick frowned and put out the cigarette, "don't be so sure, Roger, I myself wouldn't know what to do if we lost you." Roger put his cigarette in the ash tray, letting it burn itself out, "don't worry, Nick, I'm not going anywhere permanently."

/

MacCready and Hancock in Goodneighbor:

"Wow, look who the frick it is, walking in here in one piece. I missed you, boss." MacCready greeted Roger with a hug and they both sat down in the back room of the Third Rail. It was too early in the day for the regulars to be rolling in just yet and Magnolia wouldn't be singing until later so it was quiet except for Charlie who was humming loudly to himself. "Can robots get drunk?" MacCready asked, laughing. "I have a question for you that I hope you won't mind if I ask but, why would you go on your own? Why not travel with me? Who's supposed to look after you?"

Roger leaned back and closed his eyes, enjoying the cool darkness of the lounge. He peeled an eye open at his friend and smirked. MacCready pursed his lips and shifted , bringing his leg up to sit on, "I mean I get it, you can take care of yourself, but everyone needs help some time, even you." His eyes lowered, feeling shame for some indescribable reason until Roger reached over and grabbed his arm. "I'm grateful to have a friend like you, RJ, no one's got my back like you do." MacCready's lips curled into a smile, he hardly ever called him that- mostly because they were in the heat of battle- but it was nice.

There was a raucous going on in the lobby that made MacCready reach for his gun. "I heard that asshole came in here, where is he?" Realizing who it was, he let his arm call back down to his side comfortably. Hancock swung himself wildly into the room and pointed at MacCready, "You, merc, give us a minute." MacCready looked quickly between Hancock and Roger before lifting himself off the couch and warily moving into the lobby, keeping a constant eye on the two. John plopped down next to Roger where MacCready was just sitting, swiveled to his side and leaned his elbow into the back of the couch.

"I hope you didn't come here not expecting to get shit from me, man, so what's the deal? Why would you just up and leave without telling anyone? Do you have any idea how stupid that is? What if you lost your way and couldn't get back? What if you were kidnapped, huh? I almost had to hire that clown out there to go look for you. Well?" Roger was taken aback; this was not the reaction he expected from Hancock of all people. In all this excitement, Roger couldn't let Hancock be upset; he had to ease him up before he'd allow a straight forward conversation.

"Well how do you know I was even gone? Did you check the hotel?" Hancock's face scrunched together, looking even more upset than before. "Are you being a wise ass with me right now, Roger?" Roger's mouth twitched, "well did you check?" John's face didn't change at first, but then he blinked a few times and turned his gaze just past Roger and began to frown. Before the corners of his mouth could downturn all the way, he shot a flustered look at Roger, "were you in the hotel?" Roger laughed and shook his head, slapping Hancock's jaw playfully. John wasn't amused, but he was no longer upset either, and he pushed Roger backwards, "prick."

"I can't let you leave here again without your word that you won't be an idiot and wander off alone again. It doesn't have to be, as much as I would love to travel with you, hell even that merc over there." MacCready glowered in the just within earshot distance. Roger rested his hand on John's shoulder and closed his eyes again, "you really don't have to worry about me, but thank you for caring." Hancock sighed and let his face return to neutral, "I'm serious, man, don't stress me out so much." Roger let his head fall back against the back of the couch, he was very tired from his journey and just wanted to sleep, "alright, I'll be less stressful, but I'm not promising anything."

/

Danse and Dogmeat at the police station:

Roger rubbed at the cramp in the back of his neck and dropped his gun arm to his side. Dogmeat scratched at the door until knight Rhys let him outside, cursing after him for being bad. "Hey boy, miss me?" Dogmeat wined before pouncing up on his hind legs and licking Roger face until he was pushed back. "Have you been taking care of everyone like I asked?" Dogmeat yipped and walked in a circle while growling. Roger laughed, "yep, that does sound like Danse." Dogmeat then walked behind Roger and nipped at the back of his legs softly, forcing him to step forward a few feet.

"Don't worry, Dogmeat, I had everything under control." "I should hope so," Danse responded for Dogmeat, standing in the doorway. "Shit, Danse, I didn't even see you walk out here." Dogmeat wined again and ran inside the building with his tail between his legs. Roger raised his eyebrows, "new trick?" Danse stood there angrily, not replying to Roger with an answer but a question. "Do you know how many settlers I had to pay to go looking for you?" Roger stepped up to Danse until his chest was against his power armor, "you didn't really pay them did you?"

Danse's expression grew sterner, "of course I didn't pay them, I only told them I would." Roger chucked and he pushed passed him into the police building. Danse scratched his head and followed Roger, closing the door behind him, "I was afraid you would be killed, recruit." Roger looked at him like he couldn't believe what he was hearing, "really? Calling me that again? I must have really upset you." He sat down and kicked his feet up on a desk. Paladin Danse remained standing near the door.

"You know I'm only upset because I care about you, even if you don't think I do." Roger was surprised by this, he didn't think Danse was the type of guy who would admit to caring about another person. "Don't give me that look… Roger. I'm not some emotionless thing, I am capable of worrying about you." Roger leaned forward quickly, feet shooting onto the ground and he was standing in a second and in front of Danse a second later. "I never said anything like that." Danse sighed, "I know that, but I just want you to know that I do care, even if I don't always show it. You're a rare friend." Roger smiled, pounding hard onto the metal frame that protected Danse, "I know, but it's nice to hear."


	8. in bed (NSFW)

Hold up, Rocketeers!  
This chapter is rated M for mature as it contains graphic content.

(Ft. Nora)

Cait: laughs during sex, has fun with it

Curie: asks a lot of questions, makes sure she does everything right

Danse: is a hot mess, very sensitive to touch, everything makes him squirm

Deacon: is incredibly vanilla and prefers to be tended to than tending to the other

Hancock: is the aggressor, but really just enjoys everything a lot, growls

MacCready: tries to please the SS but is not very confident, has to talk through it

Nick: doesn't really have the bits, but finds other ways to please his partner, does not like to talk during sex, straightforward and a pretty aggressive

Piper: very easily flustered, prefers to cuddle because sex feels too invasive, asexual

Preston: tried really hard to please his partner and focuses a little too much for the first half

/

Cait

Sore after a few days on the road, Nora stumbled into her room without even turning the light on, peeling the armor from her body, letting it fall heavily to the floor. She unzipped her jumpsuit and slid out of it, sitting on the bed and shaking her leg free of the clingy material. She exhaled deeply as she lay back and found her head in the lap of Cait. She didn't flinch, she knew she was there, this had become a habit of hers. Nora groaned and shimmied herself up until her head was on the pillow beside Cait's. "I didn't think you'd be back until tomorrow." Cait said sleepily, she turned on her side to face Nora, it was too dark to see her face, but she could tell that she was exhausted.

"I didn't mean to wake you," Nora said almost yawning. It was a warm night and she didn't want to cover herself up, there was no need anyway. Cait leaned into Nora and kissed her neck softly, Nora inhaled sharply; maybe Cait wasn't as asleep as she thought. Cait giggled and moved lower down Nora's neck until she reached her shoulder and she draped and arm over her belly. Nora stroked the arm that Cait had resting on her, she didn't realize how good this could have felt after such a harrowing day. "You're not too tired, are you?" Cait asked between small kisses around Nora's collar bone, she was working her way onto her, slowly sliding her legs between hers.

Nora smiled, it all just felt so good, but she was dangerously tired and she didn't want Cait to be upset if she fell asleep. "I'm not making any promises here, but I don't want you to stop either." Cait was now straddling her, hips her shifting into Nora's and she loved the low groaning she was able to get out of her. She leaned down to kiss her but accidentally hit her nose against Nora's head. "Oh shit, Cait!" Nora sat up to make sure Cait was okay but they bumped foreheads. Cait could not stop laughing at this point and Nora was now wide awake. "Cait, stop laughing for a second, are you okay?" Nora felt Cait's lips press against hers, she was still giggling so she must have been okay.

Finally Nora was able to relax, she wound her arms around Cait's lower back, moving her hands down past her curves, under legs and she lifted her and laid her back. Cait laughed in her throat, there was something about Nora throwing her around in bed that made her feel giddy. Nora kissed her thighs, sucking here and there, working her way to Cait's opening. Cait squirmed excitedly, she couldn't help but snickering between soft moans. Nora had Cait's legs resting on her shoulders as she flicked her tongue violently, but Cait was always so involuntarily resistant. As she came close to climaxing her back arched and she tried wiggling away but Nora held onto her tight and took everything Cait had to give as she rode out her orgasm.

Nora took a moment to catch her breath as she climbed up and rested her body beside Cait's. Shuddering, Cait was filled with fervor and was ready to return the favor when she heard Nora's breathing. It was steady, shallow breaths, Cait started to laugh again quietly. She let her body begin to settle down and whispered, hot breath warming Nora's back, "I can't believe you fell asleep." Soon she too fell asleep on top of the blankets.

/

Curie:

"I'm not so sure what I am supposed to be doing here, Nora." Curie nervously twisted her right thumb in her left hand and she looked down at Nora, who was organizing magazines into a rack. Nora raised a brow and cocked her head at Curie. "What do you mean?" Curie let out a deep, unsteady breath and sat down beside her, "I feel like I need to know all of you, but I don't know… how to-" Nora set down the stack of magazines and leaned forward to kiss Curie gently. "All of me, huh?" Curie felt her face buzzing, an embarrassing curiosity crept over her and she nodded excitedly.

Nora stood up and peered through the door leading out into Sanctuary hills and closed the door, fastening the lock. It was still very early the sun had barely lit up the sky enough to change from black to the darkest shade of blue. Curie watched her inquisitively as she began shedding her combat armor, exposing her bare form. Curie stepped towards her slowly and held her hand out for a moment before retracting it. "Could I?" Nora smiled and nodded, it was her turn to watch.

Curie's face was focused but a hint of questioning loomed about her. She grazed over Nora's skin with gentle hands, taking in information faster than she could register it; she'd have to come back to it later. Her finger's traced over scars from months of injuries, most notably a deep indent in her back where a Yao Guai caught her with a claw. Nora shivered as Curie brushed over her spine, it was hard for her to stand idly by as Curie investigated her body, she decided this had to go both ways. "I want to see you too, why don't you strip down also?" Nora watched with amusement as Curie looked surprised, but after a moment of stillness, Curie began taking off her clothes. As she stood there in the nude, the way she subconsciously posed herself as a reaction to the cold vaguely reminded Nora of a painting she had seen hundreds of years ago of Venus.

"You're beautiful, Curie." Nora circled around her, taking in her synthetic form, sliding her hands from her back around to her hips. Curie twitched from the human contact and laughed nervously, "what do we do now?" Nora pressed herself against her and took Curie's hands in hers, setting them on her own hips, Curie watched with bated breath. "What do you feel like doing?" Nora's eyes pierced Curies, curiosity and excitement swimming behind them, wondering what she was thinking. Curie twitched again as if some sort of circuit was overworking; she let her hands roam up to Nora's neck and up to her face. Nora was just a little taller than her, but Curie pulled Nora down to her, kissing her more passionately than she had before. Nora was already pleasantly surprised, but she wanted to let Curie figure things out on her own, she let her tongue explore her mouth.

Curie released her and panted, looking into Nora's eyes again, she smiled, "how was that?" Nora found herself laughing, if only she knew how much further this could go. "You're getting it now, but there's more to it than that." Curie looked on in awe as Nora strutted slowly to the bedroll in the corner of the rec room, letting her hips sway with every step. "Normally, I'd like more space but I guess this will do." Curie followed but didn't know what to do with herself as Nora lay on the bedroll and sprawled her legs out.

"I… I don't know what to." Nora reached her hand out and Curie took it, "do what feels right, I'll talk you through it." Nora pulled Curie down next to her and there was that familiar nervous laugh that Nora loved. Curie lay on her side and she nuzzled her nose into Nora's neck, biting loosely on her collar bone, grabbing her hip and massaging it. "Something like this, yes?" Nora nodded, breathlessly agreeing as Curie slid her hand between her thighs. Her hands were cold and chills spread though her as Curie continued to surprise her and crawled between her legs and held her weight up on her hands on either side of Nora. Currie was shaking, anticipation whizzing through her rapidly.

"Now, do I just…?" Nora didn't have time to nod before Curie slipped a finger inside her and she gasped. Curie felt powerful in this moment, something she thought she didn't have much of, but now she was in control. She stroked at Nora's warmth and watched her quiver before she added another finger. Curie watched Nora's face carefully as she worked her more. She got faster and more efficient, picking up her own technique as she went. Nora couldn't stand it anymore and finally succumbed to Curie's touch, writing and breathing heavily.

"How exhilarating!" Curie exclaimed as she watched the rash of color clear from Nora's cheeks. Nora took Curie's face in her hands and kissed her hard until she couldn't breathe. "Your turn," Nora nearly growled as she held a very thrilled Curie in her arms.

/

Danse:

Paladin Danse watched longingly as Nora started waking up. He has slept beside her the night before and didn't want to leave her side for is usual morning patrol. Once she was about to get out of bed he reached around her waist and pulled her back to him, holding her tightly as she giggled. He breathed in the scent of her hair and sighed. She was always so comfortable with him holding her tightly, it felt safe, but most of all his eagerness to be so close turned her on, "I was wondering why you stayed in bed so long." His hands slid into her shirt and cupped over her breasts, his right hand toying with her nipple and she breathed softly.

Sleeping next to her was like a dream, but this morning he wanted more and she wasn't about to tell him no. She wanted to turn to face him but he held her in place, his grip on her body making her melt against him. His left arm shifted, hand reaching down into her shorts and rubbing her hip and putting a bit of pressure on her hipbone making her moan sharply and scoot back even further into him. She fussed because she wanted to tear into his clothes and ride him. He made her want him but he wasn't ready to let her act on it, he wanted her to beg but she wouldn't, she was too headstrong for that.

She struggled to move freely but he loosened his grip just enough to let her grind against him. He groaned and tensed up, breathing heavily on her neck, he finally pulled her onto him and she gave him a fierce look. She pulled her shirt off and practically tore his apart trying to expose his skin. She brought her chest down to his and kissed him hard. He moaned into the kiss, the feeling of her skin on his was almost too much. He worked on sliding her shorts off as she moved down to his neck, taking small but fairly hard bites. His breathing got heavier and he didn't even realize that his pants had somehow ended up down past his knees. He was always so impressed with how fast she worked.

He held his breath as she lowered herself onto him and hissed once her hips met his, he was shocked at how wet she had already been. She moved slowly here, making him ache, it was his turn to beg for it. He held her sides as she too-slowly raised herself before coming back down. He groaned and squeezed her and she looked down at him and smiled darkly. Her hands ran down his chest and he very nearly whimpered as she held her position with him just barely inside her. "N-Nora," that was all he could mutter before she suddenly kicked things in to full speed. He was close and she could feel it, his chest tightened and he was barely breathing at all now, and she was really no different.

Danse shook slightly as he came down, Nora wasn't far behind. She crashed onto the bed next to him and he held her close. Moments later they continued getting ready for the day, but not without exchanging a few devious glances.

/

Deacon:

Nora sat down beside him and kicked off her shoes, groaning as she rested her back against him. It was another radiation storm outside and her Geiger counter started ticking away. "Maybe we should get inside?" Deacon suggested, but she wasn't in a hurry to leave the balcony of her house she built at the Starlight settlement. She had just spent the better part of the day on construction while Deacon tinkered around with the radio beacon. If the clouds weren't so green, it would have been easy to tell that it was only about 3 o'clock in the afternoon, yet it felt like midnight.

"I guess you're not worried about ending up as a ghoul. I guess you'd still be cute as a ghoul. Be my ghoul friend." He laughed and she elbowed him in the ribs causing him to cough. He rubbed the base of her neck along her hairline and she moaned softly. He was not the type to give massages and it felt great after a long day. He grinned at the sound, trying his best to ignore the ticking coming from her wrist. Getting his other hand involved, he started working on her shoulders and she practically purred. He stood up and she fell backwards onto the couch, sighing irritably.

"We need to get out of this storm, come on," dreading having to shoot radaway into his veins, Deacon lead Nora into the enclosed level of the house. He sat down on the bed and scooted back until he leaned against the headboard, padding the bed between his legs, "get over here, I wasn't done with you." Nora grinned and skulked over to him. After about fifteen minutes of massaging he stopped and she pouted. "What? My hands are tired." She spun around to face him, "what if you had a different angle?" He raised a brow and transferred his weight to his hands which balanced him, "what do you mean?"

Nora gave him a smug look and started fiddling with the zipper of his jeans. His neck got warm and he tittered a little bit, shrugging, "I don't know if I could multitask like that but I could try." She forced his pants down and he slid forward, reclining back further than he had been. He cried out as she took him in her mouth and reached for her shoulders, but he knew he wouldn't be able to accomplish much in this condition. He got hard quick but she stopped abruptly and scowled at him, he had been slacking at his job. He sighed, flustered, and started rubbing her shoulders as she continued. He couldn't help but thrust himself deeper into her throat and moaned loudly.

At this point she figured that he wouldn't be able to keep up his end of the deal and excused him for that. He tangled his hands in her hair and held her in place as he pumped quickly, calling out her name before finishing in her mouth. She had no choice but to swallow, even though she'd really rather not. More hot than annoyed she was ready for him to get to work on her now, only to find him mostly passed out. Quicker than a flash she was annoyed all over again and tipped over the bed before leaving the room; he didn't even try to protest.

/

Hancock:

He looked over at her sitting at the bar and smiled, nothing like seeing her in that old world getup that made him want to see her out of it. He walked up behind her, light on his feet and ran his hands along her curves from her shoulders down and she felt goose bumps forming. "I didn't think you'd actually come here looking like this," he said, breathing down her neck. She was able to keep her composure with some difficulty and stood up to meet him. Her dress shimmered as it caught the lighting the right way. He bit his lip and pulled her away from the bar, bringing her in close to dance.

They didn't hear the words, just the melody, as they moved together in unison. "It's a damn shame I can't just take you right here." Nora felt his heart pounding under his chest, "what's stopping you?" He swallowed hard and cleared his throat, a grin splitting across his face. The song came to a close and he dipped her, sliding his fingers over her dress and up to her jaw, kissing her hard as he brought her back up. "We need to go, now," she laughed as he whisked her out of the bar as quickly as they could walk.

Once he got her behind closed doors there was nothing off limits. He didn't have time to let Nora struggle with her dress, instead the tore it off of her and took her in his arms. She was having a hard time figuring out his belt and he groaned and did it for her, throwing his clothes in every which way and caught her looking at him. Where he half expected a grimace he saw lust and he chuckled deeply, "that's right, everything still works." He backs her up against the bed and she sits on the edge, her hands traveling up his chest. He tilted his head back and moaned, just the feel of her smooth skin on his made him lose his mind.

She saw this and heat went traveled through her body in excitement. She kissed his deep scars and he put his hands around her neck, not squeezing, just resting them there. He couldn't wait any longer, he had to have her; he brought her to her feet and tossed her back onto the bed, the sight of her made him weak. He crawled over her, sucking on her breasts and getting off on her moans and body spasms. He pulled her legs apart and teased her by nipping at the skin over her ribs. Deicing this was too much, she clasped the sheets and scowled at him, "what are you waiting for, John, just fuck me!"

Music to his ears. He thrust into her hard but slowly and she moaned load, not entirely ready for how big he was. He realized this but didn't know how to remedy it, "still with me?" Her neck was craned back, gasping hard, "come on!" He shrugged and grinned, repeating the method of in fast and out slow until he couldn't remember there even was a pattern and everything sped up. She scratched his back and he growled, going harder, feeling that she was about to blow and he wanted to match her climax.

Her moans became shorter and breaths became quicker, it was all too much for him and he finally let himself go as she practically shouted. He was breathing hard and he rolled her on top of him as he got comfortable. Her face was flushed red, and damp with sweat, she buried it into his chest and he sighed, trying to steady his heartbeat. It was hard to calm down when he felt her on top of him, with each breath she took her breasts rose and fell against his chest and he loved that.

She made herself comfortable, legs entwined with his, head tucked into his chest. His hands were behind his head knowing that if he touched her there was a good chance he wouldn't be able to control himself. She had fallen asleep after sometime, but he was awake for hours after that, playing the event over and over again in his head.

/

MacCready:

He had no idea how they had gotten to this point. He looked down anxiously at Nora whose body was on display in a mound of sheets in front of him. He took his hat off and shimmied out of his heavy jacket and let them fall to the ground. He couldn't take his eyes off her, the moon creating a blurry outline of her in seemingly blue light. "Don't worry, Robert, there's no hurry," her voice hummed in his ears and he took a step towards her, pulling his shirt over his head. Nora admired his structure in the low light, trying to be patient; she knew there was a lot riding on this.

He loosened his pants but didn't take them off as he took yet another step toward her. He could see her better now, he could hear her breathing. He put one knee on the bed but she held him back with her foot, "you're not going to need those." MacCready tensed up and took his knee from the mattress, he was horribly body conscious. He stood there, swaying under the pressure of gravity, until Nora broke the silence. "What's the matter?" she sat up and took his hand in hers. He didn't say anything for a minute and he continued teetering, looking at her, finally he sighed. He let the rest of his clothes drop and he climbed into bed, hoping she couldn't see his body.

He caressed her legs and slid his hands all the way up her sides and ran his fingers through her hair. He was so gentle with her, kissing her softly and letting one hand explore her body while he leaned on the other arm. Nora wrapped one leg around him trying to bring him in closer. Her hand glided down his chest and reached his waist before he grabbed her hand and lifted it above her head. She smiled when he kissed her again and it lit him up. As much as she was enjoying herself, she was wondering why he hadn't gone any further yet- and he could tell.

He sat up and she propped herself up on her elbows, trying to see him better, but her eyes couldn't adjust any further. "Are you going to talk to me or am I gonna have to guess what the problem is?" MacCready stroked her cheek with the back of his hand and sighed. "It's just been a long time and I never thought I would be here again, intimate with someone. I guess I'm just scared shitless of you, of you rejecting me." Nora sat up and held him against her; not letting go even thought he didn't initially hug her back. "I love you, Robert, all of you. I know you're still torn up, I get it, but that doesn't make me love you any less."

MacCready wrapped his arms around her finally and kissed her temple, trying not to make the situation more emotionally by tearing up about it. "Is it okay if we just lay here instead?" MacCready didn't feel Nora tense up or sigh angrily- because she didn't and that's all he could ever want. "Of course," she said and they adjusted so that he could lie on his side in her arms; he had always preferred being the little spoon, and it made her feel strong.

/

Nick:

"You know, I'm not exactly well-equipped for this." Nora looked back at the detective she was leading by the hand to her cozy home on Diamond City, a smile flashing across her face. She had been flirting aimlessly for months until he finally agreed to give things with her a shot. He was always so caught up in the dichotomy of human and synth relations and why they shouldn't be together, let alone try anything in the bedroom. Nora was spectacularly giddied that evening, and eager to see what this old world machine was made of. She opened the door and hurried him inside, latching the door behind her.

She turned to him and dropped her jaw; he had already taken off most of his clothes, all that remained was his hat. She looked him up and down, noting that he did indeed lack the required parts, but that didn't bother her. A faint glow of pink flooded her cheeks and he tried to figure her out. "I'm no mind reader, but if I didn't know any better, Nora, I'd say you're checking me out." She giggled and began taking off her layers of clothing before he stopped her, sliding his metal hand up her shirt, his touch cold against her skin. She shivered and his eyes met hers, "If it's all the same to you, I've been wanting to do this myself for a long time." Nora couldn't believe what she was hearing, after all this time, all her hard work, he had actually fallen for her before she knew he had.

He was quick, taking her shirt off over her head and slipping her scavenged Grognac costume skirt down onto the floor. She gasped as he pulled her closer by the lower back with one hand and the other pulled her hair close to the scalp and brought her head back. He kissed her hard, not skipping a beat, and forced her against a wall. She was just so surprised that she couldn't react, but in truth she wouldn't dream of anything different happening. He bit her lip and she moaned into the kiss and his synthetic nervous system fired at random. She wrapped her leg around him and he lifted her up the wall, kissing and biting from her jaw down to her chest. Her head was spinning, it was all happening so fast that her mind couldn't catch up, she was in a cloud of ecstasy and never wanted it to end.

Before she could act on it, he had pushed a few fingers inside of her and she moaned loudly, involuntarily trying to climb up the wall. The sight of her reacting so spectacularly made him wish he hadn't been built as a prototype. As gently as he could manage in the heat of things, he pushed her further up the wall and knelt down until he was able to take her in his mouth. He explored her most sensitive parts as he continued to pound away, her moans becoming more desperate. He slowed down just to watch her squirm and she fussed and thrashed, "don't you dare fucking stop, Valentine!" He could do this all night, her neediness made him hunger for her and he sped back up, shifting angles and she yelled out. She brought her knees closer together, holding his head in her thighs like a vice grip as she hit her capacity and she wailed as he continued trying to get her off when she had no more to give.

Nora was shaking, her body still humming with anticipation. He let her slide down onto his lap, and rested his head on her shoulder. She didn't stop trembling for about 15 minutes, her body was weak and she breathed heavily as she leaned against his silicone frame. Finally he pulled back from her and looked at her face, his eyes glowed more than she remembered them. She bit her lip and he raised a brow, she pressed her forehead against his. "Again?" he asked, she laughed.

/

Piper was lying in bed, reading over her first draft of an article she planned on printing in the morning. The light bulb that hung over her threatened to burn out and she tapped on it until it stopped flickering and went out all together. "Dammit." Piper got up onto her knees and went to unscrew the bulb only to burn her fingers. "Dammit!" She hissed, blowing on her fingers before popping them in her mouth. "Blue, hey, are you still up?" She waited, listening for Nora to respond, and sat down on top of her feet. "Yeah?" Piper sighed in relief, "can you come fix this light?" There was silence, Nora was usually out cold by that time, Piper realized that she probably woke her up.

Finally she heard the mattress creak followed by footsteps. Piper cheered up a little, but felt a little guilty for waking Nora up in the middle of the night. She stumbled into the room and stared into the darkness, "oh, like 'fix it' fix it. Yeah." Piper winced, "sorry for waking ya, I just figured you could fix it better than I could, I already burnt the hell out of my hand." She heard Nora sigh and watched her leave the room and head for the closet, "You're not useless, Piper, I know you know how to change a light bulb." Piper sighed, "quit being so crabby, will you?" There was a crash and a long groan, and then the door slammed. Piper cocked her head as she saw Nora storm into the room and lay down next to her. "Blue, what are you-"

"We're out of light bulbs, I'll fix it tomorrow." Piper, still sitting on her feet, felt Nora's skin against her knees, she hadn't known that she was in the nude. Her face was warm as she laid down behind Nora and she swung her arm over her. Nora snuggled into her and Piper fought to come up with something snarky to say but ended up making half-word noises. Nora couldn't tell if she was trying to say something or not so she flipped around, and buried her face into the curve of Piper's neck. Piper held her breath, she had never been this close to Nora, but she was so comfortable.

"Why aren't you breathing?" Nora asked, muffled against Piper's shoulder. "I didn't want to make you uncomfortable." Nora laughed sleepily and searched for Piper's hands, "if you pass out from suffocation I'll be uncomfortable, don't do that to me." Piper chuckled and took a deep breath once Nora finally found her hands. It was nice being this intimate with her, the contact was nice and her skin was warm. Then she felt Nora kissing her neck and she froze again until Nora withdrew. "Something bothering you?" Piper sighed and groaned, Nora brought herself away from Piper and leaned onto her arm. "I just don't feel like…" Nora was perplexed but didn't want to make her feel awkward, "oh."

Piper felt immediate guilt, "Nora, it's not you, I just have never been interested in…uh… bedroom business." Piper felt like she sounded foolish and began beating herself up internally. Nora reached forward and cupped Piper's jaw, thumb stroking her lower lip. "You don't have to be ashamed, just tell me something. Is it okay if I lie here with you?" Piper felt warm all over, as if she could feel the blood coursing in her veins. She wanted Nora to stay, but she couldn't help feel bad for rejecting her, she stayed quiet for a longer time than she realized had passed. Nora took the silence as her answer and nodded, "okay well, we'll talk about this in the morning, I guess.

Piper stopped her from leaving, tightening her grip on Nora's hand, "I just don't know how to explain it. I don't know how to, but please stay." Nora grinned, but pity crept onto her face, "I do want to know more, but only when you're ready to talk about it." She turned her back to her again and Piper clung onto her, feeling her chest rise and sink with each breath. This was the closeness she wanted; this was the contact she craved.

/

Preston:

His heart raced as the woman he called general undressed him, tilting his hat up she kissed him hard. He didn't know how badly he wanted her until about two or three minutes ago when she locked eyes with him as she removed her vault suit. Now his breath was shaky as she pulled him down on top of her, his hands rubbing her sides as he positioned himself over between her legs. He pulled away from her kiss and looked at her carefully; her smile, every freckle, and the curves of her breasts. She loved how he looked at her as if she were a painting, something to behold, an actual work of art.

He wanted to watch her face as he made love to her, he moved slowly, being sure not to hurt her. She bit her lip and took a slow breath. He kept the pace, continuing to look at her every detail as she moaned softly. She felt uneasy with him watching her so closely and tried pulling him down her so she could escape his gaze. Once she pulled his chest to hers she spoke airily, "Preston, you're gonna have to move faster than that." He tensed up and she hoped she didn't strike a nerve; he pulled back and looked at her again, looking confused. "I don't want to hurt you," he said, kissing her neck.

"You know better than that, you won't hurt me." He smirked and cracked his neck, "you asked for it." He pushed into her harder than she thought he was capable of and for a second she realized why he thought he might hurt her. She grunted as he went again and again, working up to a faster speed, clearly enjoying himself now. She was glad she said something, this was more her style, she grinned while crying out and he seemed to have gotten his second wind as he sped up further.

It didn't take too long for him to be finished and she was not even close. He panted as he sat back, nearly out of breath, and he fell over. Nora sat up and looked at him expectantly, but it wouldn't help, he was down for the count, she could tell. She grimaced as he covered himself with his hat and lay there still trying to catch his breath. After thinking about it for a moment, she realized that she did prompt this; urging him to be more aggressive. She sighed and lay back down, next time she would let him be slower, maybe she could be more patient.


	9. reacting to the death of the SS

I kinda split it into two different story lines

Featuring Nate

#1: In which the Minutemen spread news of Nate's death

Deacon:

"N-Nate?" He had never used his real name, but he couldn't help it at this point. The sentrybot burst into an inferno and sent Deacon rolling to his side to avoid getting hit by shrapnel. The ground shook from the explosion and his ears were ringing, the night was suddenly lit up and Deacon could see him more clearly now. He scrambled over to Nate and hovered over him for a moment. He grabbed his shoulders and shook him hard, "come on, Nate, don't die on me." Nate's head hung unresponsively, gazed fixed on nothingness. Deacon's stomach was in knots, "please don't do this, come on you asshole! What, you want stimpacks? I got your stimpacks right here, look buddy, good as new." He pumped stimpack after stimpack into his chest but his eyes didn't blink, his throat never cleared, his heart never beat.

Deacon held him in a tight embrace, crying onto his shoulder. "You can't die, I can't lose you, I can't do this by myself." He was rocking now, trying to will him back to life but it was in vain, then his screams became more desperate, "PLEASE!" he hit him in chest several times and finally rested him back on the ground. He lie there, crying in agony, every part of his body was aching. He eventually got up the nerve to search his body, finding the flare gun, and shooting it into the sky five or six times. He touched Nate's face, he had almost gone completely cold, "I'm so sorry" he said one last time before running quickly into the shadows. Not soon after a group of Minutemen scouts came to retrieve his body and take him back to the Castle. Deacon watched in tears from behind a sign, making sure they would take care of him; he went back to the Railroad to report the agent's death.

Preston:

His hands shook as he placed the tri-folded flag in Nate's hands; it's what he would have wanted. He wish he could have been there to protect him, maybe if he would have been there it would be Preston lying in the deep hole in the courtyard of the castle. He stood over him, sharing space with him one last time before lifting himself from the grave. "It should have been me…" he said under his breath, kicking dirt into the hole. The minuteman at the radio transmitter began a speech that would play across the wasteland in honor of Nate, saying a few words about his life and mentioning how he would be remembered in every settlement that he helped ground. After his speech he played a recording of taps that pulled at Preston's heart. Several other minutemen began filling the grave with dirt and Preston watched as he saw the last of the general.

He took off his hat and placed it over his chest, tears welling up that he refused to fight. Around the commonwealth settlers mourned; seeking the comfort of others that they had only come to meet thanks to the general. Settlements that waved the old world flag lowered them to half mast. The allies of the minutemen who had been saved by Nate traveled to the castle from Sanctuary and wept as the last of the dirt was shoveled into the grave. As the last few bars of taps rung out into the Commonwealth Preston shut himself away and cried. Everything the minutemen had accomplished now was thanks to a man lying in the ground. He couldn't stomach the thought of Nate being dead, he couldn't face the people of Boston as the next in line to be General. There was no one who could take Nate's place. He held onto his sides as he sobbed in his solitude.

Piper:

The day had started out normally enough, the familiar stench of noodles and gun lubricant rushing in as someone walked into her office. "Sheffield? What the hell are you doing back in Diamond City? I thought Blue had you working for him?" Piper crossed her arms and waited for an answer, he fumbled with his hands and couldn't look her in the eye. "He… Nate… He's dead." Piper shifter her weight, her face screwing up, "Don't fuck with me, that's not even a little funny. Did McDonough put you up to this?" He couldn't meet her eyes and she became painfully aware of the pulse in her neck. She rushed up to the man and grabbed him by the shoulders, not allowing herself to flinch at his odor.

"Where is Blue? Where is he?" Sheffield closed his eyes tight and whimpered, turning his head away from her. She loosened her grip on him and stumbled backward, crying into her hands, she didn't even notice Sheffield was trying to stifle his tears. She pounded her fists on the ground and screamed, crying louder. Sheffield ran from the office when he heard the door open, it was Nat and she glared at him before putting her attention on Piper. She moved quickly over to her sister and held her arm, "What's the problem?" Piper couldn't answer her, her face was red and moist from tears and she couldn't breathe. Nat scowled, "Piper, calm down and talk to me!" Piper let out another scream, "he's dead! Blue's dead!" Nat's heart sank and she just hugged her sister. A week passed before Piper was able to function again, she sat at her typewriter and just kept typing for almost two days straight. The next article she released was titled 'Goodbye, Blue'.

Hancock:

He sees a small group of men come into town that doesn't look like the type to end up in Goodneighbor and his immediate thoughts are trouble. Hancock leaves the hall and nods at some neighborhood watch to come greet the newcomers. "What exactly is your business here, fellas?" he asks, sweeping back his uniformed coat to reveal the knife he had at the ready. The men eyed him wearily, and a few of them muttered something about him being a corpse before he cocked his head to the side and looked at the stranger, "we don't take too kindly to bigots here. Now, what's your business, or be off, I won't ask again." One of the men finally spoke up, "we've come to report that the General of the Minutemen, Nate, has fallen in battle." There was a bleak silence between the two parties for a moment before the arrogant grin was wiped clean from Hancock's face.

"Leave us," he said darkly, the neighborhood watch sauntered off and the minuteman nodded to his men, they also backed off. Hancock took a slow step closer to the messenger before snatching him up by the collar of his shirt, his feet leaving the ground, "what happened to him?" The minuteman was terrified and babbled incoherently as guards from both sides aimed their weapons at each other. Hancock put him down and the messenger scampered backwards, catching his breath, "we don't know, someone fired warning flares and there he was, when scouts found him he was already gone!" The minuteman gathered his men and left the city in a hurry, leaving Hancock standing there. He shook wildly, rage burning within him, he couldn't see, couldn't hear, and probably couldn't speak if he tried. He spun around violently and approached a drifter with great speed, "give me all the chems you got, now!" The drifter nodded, figuring he hit the jackpot as chems were traded for caps and Hancock disappeared down the alley.

He cried angrily as he took several hits of jet back to back followed by several shots of med-ex. His mind burned and colors blended together as he sat in his room in the state building. His tears were hot but he couldn't feel anything anymore but he wanted to ensure that he couldn't feel for at least the rest of the night. He took two more shots of med-ex and chased it with some psycho. He yelled, he wanted to kill; it didn't matter what or who he killed so long as it crossed his path next. He couldn't lose Nate, he finally found his missing piece, his brother in crime, his savior from this hell. His anger burned and burned until it simmered into sadness. He wept once he came down from his high, and was inconsolable.

Cait:

She opened the door, hanging on the frame as she leaned out and saw a small group of minutemen with their weapons drawn. "She jumped back and reached for the 10mm on the table near the door when the man in front put his hand up to stop her, "whoa, ma'am, didn't mean to startle you, we're here to deliver a message." Without further warning somehow she knew and began to breathe heavily as the man in charge spoke again, taking his hat off. "I'm sorry to have to tell you this, but Nate, the General, has fallen in battle-"

He continued to speak but his voice was drowned out by the rushing anxiety in her ears. She fell to the floor and cried, screaming loudly. The minutemen looked at each other and tipped their hats to her before taking their leave. She grabs the gun and fires shots after them, not aiming for them but hoping one would meet her target. She throws the gun, flips the table destroys everything in her wake before she crashes to the floor again. She thinks about dying, she thinks about taking her own life to alleviate the pain his death has caused her but she once promised him she would never do that. She couldn't stop crying for days. One night she holds a needle in shaky hands, wishing with everything she has that she could take the pain away, that she can forget him. One the third day she shoots up for the first time in over a year, the psycho ruches through her veins like a forest fire and for a brief moment she forget about Nate and all the promises she made. Not long after she finds herself once more at the combat zone, ready to kill but even more so, ready to die.

Codsworth:

He finishes hi patrol around Sanctuary hills one last time before his automated curfew and his nearly back home before he hears the radio announce the death of his long time friend and master. A settler walks up to him as he's listening to the broadcast and startles him. "Hey, Mr. Handy, is there a bed here I can use?" Codsworth zones out into radio space, hearing the settler but not understanding the question. Nate was never one to turn away someone in need but there were no other beds left… except the one that would never be owned again. "Of course, sir, let me show you the way." He understands the pain of loss, he just didn't know he'd encounter it again so soon.

He led the way to Nate's room, all the things that he had collected over time still hung along the walls or were stored away in the dressers. Codsworth let out an audible sigh as he left the settler alone to rest. He traveled outside once more, finishing his protocols and clearing the sidewalk of debris. He then traveled to the Castle where he heard the radio broadcast was coming from. After the funeral proceeding he wanders the Commonwealth until he runs out of fuel.

Curie (and Strong):

She watched as the minutemen went door to door, wondering what was going on she left her lab to investigate. She crossed her arms tightly over her lab coat to keep it from blowing open in the wind and she was quickly approached by a minuteman. "Hello, miss. We came here to tell everyone the bad news, the general has fallen in battle." Curie raised a brow, "general?" The man's face fell into a frown, "Nate, from vault 111, he's gone. I can't believe it myself." Currie stood there, staring ahead as he walked off to regroup with the other minutemen. Her face twitched and she returned to her lab, she sat down and ran several diagnostics. Her logic could not fail; he was not old, diseased, crippled or addicted to any substances. There was no reason for him to be dead. She grabbed her belly and felt this knot that was taking over her consciousness; the pain consumed her until she could think of nothing else. Then she felt the tears coming, her confusion deepened and she wept, holding herself. "What is this?" she cried, looking through her database for answers but coming up with nothing.

She ran from her lab and bumped into Strong who looked at her with a rough glance. "Human dead now, not strong enough." She sat down and crossed her legs, crying into her lap, he looked down at her, not sure what to make of all this. "Why does this hurt so badly? Why do I feel this way?" Strong grunted at her, "emotions make humans weak." Curie looked up and blinked at him, he didn't understand the difference between her and humans and she felt the knot in her gut twist further. Her brief moment of calm ended abruptly when Strong spoke again. "Strong must go now, avenge human. You stay here." Though they had managed to coexist for months, they never really interacted, and somehow she would miss Strong when he left. As Strong left Sanctuary he heard the mournful screams of everyone who Nate had touched. Strong swore that he would destroy whoever was strong enough to kill the strongest person he knew, that way he would become stronger.

#2: in which no one can save Nate (individually) and they all have horrible flashbacks

Danse:

Stares at the quiet absence of life from the roof of the police station, he locked the door to the building below so he could be left alone but his comrades downstairs stopped trying to convince him to come downstairs hours ago. Images from the battle still flashed in his mind without stop and he couldn't get any peace. He kept seeing Nate fall and not being able to bring him back any way he visualized it. What had began as a simple clearing out of synths from a militarized zone downtown ended with losing his very reason to stay in the Commonwealth at all. They had nearly made it out, they were so close. He saw it again, Nate falling to one knee and shouting at him to get out of there. He forced himself to live through it again.

They couldn't have known a courser would be there. If they had the slightest clue he would have suggested something else, even then Nate is… was too headstrong to turn down the challenge. They had gotten through most of the building until they came to a gated area, Nate didn't see it coming. Two railroad spikes to the chest and he dropped, Danse watched in horror, powerless to do anything. "Get out of here, Danse, go!" even as he was dying, he tried to fire off a few rounds at the courser. Danse ran forward to cover him and carry him out of there but the last shot had been fired, one last spike to the ribs and he was gone. He carried him out, taking serious damage to his power armor as he ran back to the surface with Nate lifeless on his shoulder.

Danse gasped and a few tears trailed down his face. He couldn't stay anymore, he had to leave; there was nothing left to keep him in the Commonwealth. Moments later Rhys and Haylen heard the vertibird liftoff, there was nothing they could do to stop him, before they knew it he was gone, and they never see him again.

MacCready:

He looked at the luck bobble head on the counter in front of him loathsomely and shot back his seventh or eighth shot of whiskey. His insides burned from the bitter drink and yet it was so much more. He never thought the survivor would die in a firefight, for Christ's sake he was the _survivor_ after all. He motioned to Charlie for another round but the robot denied him of this, his computers sensing that MacCready was far past his sensible limit of alcohol. MacCready slammed his hands onto the counter and started shouting rather incoherently, threatening to shoot up the entire bar. Ham came downstairs in a hurry and put MacCready in an arm bar which threatened to snap his wrist. "Alright, come on pal, you've had enough." MacCready complied falsely before stomping down on Ham's foot and bashing the back of his head into his face. He broke free from Ham's hold and tried to swing at him, but his balance was very off kilter and he staggered into the table next to him. Ham hit MacCready on the back of the head with the butt of his gun before grabbing his nose, blood leaking onto his suit. "Get this asshole out of here, Charlie."

Visions of the night before ran into his mind, Nate's face fading into the distance as he told him to keep running. If he would have known that that would be the last he ever saw of him he would have done everything differently, he would have said things that mattered. Mutants got him, must have been two suiciders, maybe three, but definitely two. Nate never had a chance, he had to go and play hero one last time. MacCready opened his eyes, the low light of the memory den too bright for him. "I have to… get back home… to my son." Irma looked over to him, believing that he was still in a drunken stupor. She watched as he left the lounge, not even thanking her for patching him up. He left Goodneighbor, and eventually he left the Commonwealth all together. After a long time of traveling alone he finally returned home to the Capitol Wasteland, where he felt he needed to be, the only place he had left.

(based off this post)


	10. Headcanon trivia

Just a cluster of headcanon trivia

Cait: Sings under her breath. Snores like a train. Hates the rain. Once beat a Mister Handy in a foot race. Low key interested in medicine. Would be great at baseball. Is kinda afraid of the dark. Would prefer dark chocolate. Doesn't like her teeth, wants to get work done but is afraid she'll like them even less afterwards. Laughs at the expense of others.

Curie: Prefers to wear sundresses. Speaks four different languages. Does not give second chances. History buff. Terrified of bloat flies. Does not correct her spelling when she messes up at the terminal. Scared of being thought of negatively. Thinks cats are a joy, dresses up the strays.

Danse: Takes a long time to pick out what he's going to wear. Can't stand the taste of Nuka Cola. Is a hopeless romantic deep down. The smell of carrot flowers reminds him of his early days in the BOS, he gets very emotional. Very clearly has a germ complex. Plans on someday visiting the Mojave. Has never been bitten by a Yao Guai. Very little patience with most people, finds their voices annoying.

Deacon: has written three scripts for movies that he wants to make. Can NOT put a tent up. Doesn't like vegetables. Interested in interior design. Knows how to knit, but never ever does it. Quick to forget a recent conversation. Colorblind. Likes to think of himself as heartthrob. Allergic to dust and will die a slow death while sneezing.

Dogmeat: would love to find another dog to play with. Does not like to get his paws wet. Howls relentlessly at bumps in the night while traveling until the SS wakes up- even if it's nothing. Prefers butt scratches over belly scratches. Would love to finger paint, alas… Favorite toy is toy alien. Hospitals make him uneasy.

Hancock: Plays pool like a champ. Is terrified of the sound of vacuums. Very sympathetic towards animals, would probably donate monthly to the ASPCA. Fond of poetry from the Civil War era. Does not remember what he sounded like before becoming irradiated. Had cancer before ghoulification, but went into remission thanks to all the radiation. Loves the color yellow. Big fan of giving people the silent treatment before going off on them.

MacCready: Likes to collect miniatures. Left-handed. An expert in meteorology. Very body conscious. Wonders what it's like to be a super mutant. Had his ears pierced as a teenager but it hurt so bad he let them heal shut immediately. Very superstitious. Wants to do something that his son will admire him for. Cleans up pretty well for a mungo.

Piper: Can play the trombone but finds it to be a useless skill. Has never played chess. Wants to start her own radio broadcast based solely on the news. Asexual. Can hold her own in a bar, probably able to out-drink the SS easily. Remembers names and birthdays but not faces. Writes friend fiction and is way too embarrassed to say anything about it.

Preston: Cooks really well, specializes in mirelurk dishes. Likes to decorate for holidays, even is no one else is celebrating. Likes to imitate different voices, his favorites are Elvis and Three Dog. Directionally impaired. Is a huge passive aggressive baby when he's sick. Will forgive, won't forget. Can't remember his childhood very well.

Strong: Great at bowling. Can't hold his breath. Has never met a female super mutant. Has been to the Capital Wasteland, but says super mutants there were too ugly and stupid to be leaders, so he came back to the Commonwealth. Has never had the pleasure of eating an omelet. Could really benefit from a hearing aid and glasses. Is in his late 70's.

Valentine: Would really love a burger joint in Diamond City. Knows a considerable amount about taxes but can't how. Remembers using a tanning bed in his past life. Makes a mean pasta. Remembers hating traffic, but doesn't remember ever driving. Doesn't like cigars at all. Would like to be able to sing, but is way too shy to try. Being on a boat would make him very nervous.


	11. and being jealous

(based off this post)

(ft. Nora)

Preston:

He watched though narrowed eyes as Nora strolled into Sanctuary with a new companion, some lanky guy in military garb. He didn't like the look of him, he liked even less how closely he was walking beside his significant other. Sturges looked over at Preston in time to see his hands tighten around the laser musket that he had drawn for no clear reason, "Preston, hey, what's the matter?" He didn't answer, he didn't even hear him. "Do you know him?" Preston asked, making Sturges jump. He stood up and peered through the holes in the wall at Nora and her new friend. "Can't say he looks familiar, actually." Preston huffed and left his weapon leaning against the wall and walked out to meet Nora.

He adjusted his hat and slowed his pace, he didn't want her to think he was jealous in any way, but it was burning through him. The guy saw him before she did and made a confused face as Preston swooped his arm around her lower back and planted a kiss right on her lips. Nora giggled as he pulled away, "I was about to come looking for you," Preston felt his chest soften when he saw her face lit up to see him, but then he remembered why he had surprised her in the first place. "Who's your friend here?" Preston tried his best not to glare at the lanky man in front of him but felt like he couldn't really help it. "This is Robert MacCready. Found him in Goodneighbor, he's decided to join us." Preston felt his lip twitch and took a deep breath as he clenched onto the back of her shirt. "Good to meet you, MacCready." There was a handshake, but Preston didn't want to know this man, he wanted him to leave.

Curie:

She had been traveling with Nora far a few days now, which was more than usual, but she was really enjoying herself. Any opportunity she could get to be at her back and help her was a good time. They made their way to Diamond City and Curie just figured it was to load up on supplies. As they went through the city, passing the market place, she grew suspicious. They popped inside a shack and Curie was appalled. There was a detective who was clearly a synth, he greeted her with a hug and they talked for some time. Her face heated up and her cheeks swelled.

"Nick, this is Curie, she's-" Nick beamed, "ah, quite the charmer huh? I didn't realize you had such a cute little number running around with you." Curie felt insulted, even if it was a compliment. She didn't need some imposter telling Nora how he felt about them. "I'm ready to leave now" she said, seizing Nora's hand almost violently. Nora raised a brow and looked between Curie and Nick, she wasn't just done talking with him, and she just stood there. Suddenly Curie pulled on her hand, and began leaving, practically dragging Nora behind her. Before she left the building, she turned to Nick and stuck out her tongue, he only laughed as the door shut behind them.

MacCready:

He woke up to hear Nora talking to someone at the door. It was probably around noon and he was squinting at how bright it was. "Hey babe?" he called out but whoever she was talking to had her involved in quite the conversation and she didn't answer him. He sighed and looked around the room for pants and got half way dressed before heading out to the main room where he heard voices coming from. There was a man at the door and he recognized him immediately as Mayor Hancock, except he wasn't the mayor of this place. He stumbled out into the much brighter area, not opening his eyes more than he needed in order to not trip over Dogmeat.

"What are you doing here, John?" Hancock looked past Nora and smirked at MacCready. "We were just talking about hitting the road, seeing as you're only just now getting up." There was a painfully awkward silence between all three of them, Nora sidestepped and put her back against the doorway so that they could all see each other. MacCready shook his head, hugged Nora and dragged her away from the doorway, and shut the door in Hancock's face. She sighed and smiled and he kissed her on the neck, "let's just stay here today, huh?"

Piper:

She watched from the stoop of Publick Occurrences as Nora sat elbow to elbow with a cute redhead at Power Noodles. Her nails dug into the wooden frame and paint flecks fell off. Nat watched Piper was she sipped a Nuka Cherry, her eyebrows raised and a slight smirk bubbled onto her face. "Somebody's jealous" she whispered in a sing-song way. Piper turned to Nat and glared at with already thinned patience. "Not right now, Nat, I'm… investigating." Nat chucked and went inside, still humming her taunt at her sister. Piper huffed and pulled gave her hat a good tug before strutting up to the counter next to Nora.

"Funny, Blue, I didn't know you were back in town." Her anger consumed her and her scowl didn't let up as Nora faced her with a big smile. Nora cupped Piper's face and gave her a soft kiss, forcing Piper to drop her rigid stance and melt. "This is Cait, we've been traveling together for some time now." Piper flashed a very fake smile to Cait who was no less thrilled to see Piper, she actually looked quite grim to see that Nora and Piper were an item. This dismay gave Piper a rush, and she leaned forward to shake Cait's hand and as she did, she bumped the carton of water and it splashed onto Cait before pouring into her lap. Cait stood up in a mad rush and tried sweeping the liquid from her outfit. "Oh, shoot, I'm sorry about that, better go clean up." Cait shot her a violent look before storming off and Piper took Nora's arm, giving it a small squeeze. "Next time you come back, come see me first, you jerk." Nora smiled and rubbed her nose against Piper's.

Cait:

As soon as Nora clicked the heels of her boots on the patio Cait surprised her with a strong hug. They both laughed as they lost their balance and fell to the ground. Cait sat behind her, cradling her between her legs, and nuzzled her neck. "I'm glad you're back, it's been days!" Nora nodded and sighed, "I missed you too, Cait. We're heading out again soon though, just passing through for a supply run." Cait nibbled on Nora's shoulder through the thin fabric that covered her. "Or you could stay here and say fuck all to the Brotherhood. They can do missions without you, they don't need you like I do." Nora grinned and leaned into Cait, massaging her legs but suddenly tensed up and cleared her throat. Cait looked up and saw the ridiculous looking soldier approaching them. Cait felt Nora try to get up, but she only tightened her grip around her. "Cait. Nora, let's be off." Danse stood over the two of them and Cait hated that Nora was struggling to get up and follow him around.

"Go on your own, you're a strong guy, leave her here." Nora giggled at Cait's boldness, she was sure no one else would talk to Danse like that. "We don't exactly have an abundance of time here." Cait held out her arm and flipped him off, wrapping her legs around Nora as a human cage. "Fuck off, you tin can, she stays here." Nora was red in the face from embarrassment but also she was trying not to laugh. He was not amused, however, and took the laser pistol from his hip. Cait was floored at this point but held her ground and was about to verbally destroy him but Nora spoke up first. "Come on now, Danse, we can afford a couple hours, don't you think?" He grimaced and lowered his weapon, holstering it, "two hours, but we'll have to be fast to make up for lost time." He stomped off and Cait kissed Nora on the cheek and unwrapped herself to stand up. She took Nora's hand and helped her up, "now let's you and I make up for lost time, eh?" Nora snickered as Cait pulled her into the house.

Danse:

Nora and Preston were talking off in the distance, he assumed it was something about the Minutemen. What a lost cause, an absolute joke; he was glad she was putting her time towards the Brotherhood of Steel instead where she could actually make a difference. But then he wondered what they had to talk about then. He was sure they had nothing to talk about. Danse was busy having an internal struggle and didn't even notice when Dogmeat started barking at him, he always barked at him, maybe it was the suit. He shooed away the dog and went back to spying. He wasn't getting anywhere not hearing what they were talking about so he moved closer.

He couldn't believe how hard it was to hear their conversation and he crept closer and closer until he was practically a few feet behind Preston. Nora watched him from her peripheral and was quite alarmed with his sudden presence. "-but you see, if we can take back the castle we'll have a better position to help the Commonwealth. This place is nice, but we're a little far from everything." Preston finally noticed Nora's continual glances past him ant turned around to see Danse standing a few steps from him, "Paladin." Danse grunted, "minuteman." They stood there in painful silence until Preston cleared his throat and left. "I thought you weren't going to waste your time with them." Nora smirked and patted him on the chest, "don't worry dear, I only spend my time willingly with you." She laughed as she walked away, swaying her hips so Danse could get a show.

Hancock:

He's busy throwing out spent containers of jet when he hears Nora coming up the stairs, accompanied with a voice he doesn't recognize. He listens in closely, it's some guy and he sounds like a complete jerk off. He smiles to himself as he strips down and works up a bunch of drool. He lets out a vicious screech and runs down the stairs at full speed. Nora just stares, completely in shock as John sprints towards her and Deacon in full nudity. Deacon panics and reaches for a gun that he didn't have equipped. He pats himself nervously and starts to freak out. Nora turns to him quick and, trying not to break into hysterics, yells "Deacon, run, I've got this!" Deacon raises a brow but doesn't have time to disagree and runs downstairs. As Hancock finally reaches her, he takes her in his arms, grabbing her by the shoulders and looks downstairs to make sure the guy isn't coming back.

"That guy wasn't bothering you, was he?" He let go of her arms and slid his hands down to her hips. She grinned and poked him in the chest, "not as much as others," she said, leaning to kiss him. When she pulled away she looked him up and down and he blushed. "Let's hope you don't go feral because it would be hard to stay far from you looking like this." His lips curled into a devilish grin and he kissed her again, "shut up."

Nick:

He's sitting at a booth waiting for Nora to come back with their drinks when he hears a disturbance at the bar. He looks over his shoulder to see some drunk trying to make moves on her and she's trying to be polite as can be to get him to stop. He sighs, knowing that she's fairly quick to anger and the situation will likely escalate. He smothered his cigarette and got out of the booth to back her up. This guy was a local that he'd seen around the city, he didn't seem like the type to get involved with trouble. "Hey, pal, I don't think she's interested, how bout you just back off."

Nick put his hand on the guy's shoulder and tried pulling him away from Nora but he shot his elbow back and hit Nick in the chin. A bouncer took over from there and threw the drunk out of the bar. Nora was shocked, she didn't think a night out would turn almost hostile. "You alright?" Nick asked as Nora walked up to him and stroked his jaw, the other hand on his chest. "I'm fine, but you didn't have to do that." His sensors lit up from her touch and he grinned as she kissed him. "Let's get back to our night, huh?" She beamed at him and they sat at the bar for the rest of their evening out.

Deacon:

He never considered himself to be the jealous type; he felt it took away from his general positive outlook on life. As he thought about this he cackled because only some of it was true. He couldn't even be honest with himself as he watched with disdain how much time Nora had been spending with Piper lately. They had been traveling a lot, going on all kinds of adventures while he just sat and helped out around Sanctuary. She was his girl, after all, and she should be spending more time with him. He was flustered as he ran over to the two of them, building a story in his head as he went.

"Hey, you're the reporter, right?" He panted and Nora watched bemused at the story he was about to unravel. Piper's ears perked and she reached for her pen, "yeah, that's me, what is it?" He was panting more than he needed to, he was dressed in his settler's disguise and finally he caught his breath. "There's something going on with the brahmin, they keep walking around in circles, some of them have even started walking on two legs. I think its aliens; you gotta go check it out!" Piper looked between him and Nora and Deacon pointed towards the small plot of land where the brahmin stayed. "I'll be back, Blue, I have to see this for myself." Nora laughed as Piper ran off, "what was that all about?" Deacon made a pouty face and teased, "love me, pay attention to me." She laughed as he leaned his weight onto her and she wrapped her arms around him, "you dork."


	12. Reacting to Ghoulificaion

A reaction to the SS becoming a ghoul

Cait:

Nate's been quick to injure lately where he would otherwise be fine. Recently a rash started showing up on his neck. At first he thought it was some sort of allergy, but it didn't go away, it only grew over time. "Hey, hon, I think you might be getting sick," she'd say, but he only shrugged it off and they'd continue on their way. A week later the rash had spread to his chest and small, raised bumps started showing up on the back of his hands. She was getting very worried at this point, he was definitely sick but he wouldn't listen to anyone's pleas to go to the clinic. Next came a cough that he just couldn't seem to shake, it was a dry cough and didn't sound like an infection, but it wouldn't let up.

This went on for days before turning into a deeper cough that was often accompanied by phlegm. Cait felt helpless as she watched sink further into this mysterious illness. Any damage he'd take in battle stopped healing. His skin was abnormally red too, like sunburn but all over his body. His hair began falling out in clumps; his arm and leg hair sloughed off at any kind of friction. Cait couldn't handle it anymore; she forced him to seek shelter and help. He barely ate now; his appetite had become so poor that he ate rarely in the span of three days. She couldn't stand seeing him fall apart like this, she was so afraid to lose him that she risked catching whatever kind of infection he had to continue traveling with him so that he'd get some help. She couldn't have known it then, but it was already too late for him.

Curie:

She knew pretty early on that he had radiation poisoning; however no matter how many doses of radaway she gave him, his symptoms maintained. It was more severe than she realized at that time, but his case was unique to others that she had seen. The blisters that had formed on his hands were very inconsistent; some were puss-filled while other were filled with blood. He complained that his skin burned so badly that it hurt to wear armor over his clothes. She investigated the rash that had spread over the back of his neck and down his back; it was flaky and she noted that it was very similar to sunburn.

"I don't know how this happened, but it doesn't look like it will get better." She was hesitant to tell him that, she didn't want to worry him, but she felt like he needed to know. "I'm afraid it will only get worse," she said, gently placing her hand on his. He turned his face from her and coughed hoarsely, wincing through pain that tightened in his chest. "I wouldn't mind if you recorded this, I can tell you're just itching to ask me." He laughed weakly and watched her smile the way that made the corners of her eyes wrinkle. He was grateful that he couldn't get her sick; he'd hate himself if she were able to catch a cold from him. She kept a steady watch on him as his symptoms eventually progressed

Danse:

He blames himself when he sees Nate in this condition. By the time he knows what's wrong the only thing Nate can wear is a bathrobe due to his skin. The blisters covered about 60 percent of his skin now, his hair was long gone and most of his fingernails were missing. His heart sank the first time he saw him, the smell was perhaps the hardest part. Nate tried to greet him warmly but he was in so much pain that grinning was unimaginable for longer than a second or two. Danse can't get himself to look at him, he fights to keep from breaking down but it's no use, he tears up. "Come on now, Paladin, where's your sense of composure?" Nate would tease, his voice reduced to a whisper from the sores in his throat. Danse can't look at him but he feels like he owes it to him after everything they've been through. Danse's breathing is shaky and he lets out an audible gasp once he looks Nate in the eye and allows himself to cry.

Nate's eyes are bloodshot and there's a buildup of gunk in the corners of his eyes. He felt bad that Danse was so upset over this, "you know that none of this is your fault. I was stupid, I should have gotten help; hell I don't even know how I got to this point." Nate looked over at Danse and held out his less damaged hand, waiting for him to take it. Danse was nearly hyperventilating now, he had seen death many times, but this was so painful to see. He had never lost someone so close to him in such a way- he didn't take Nate's hand. "I can't lose you, you can't die." Nate clicked his tongue against his teeth and withdrew his hand, "still trying to give me orders after all this time, huh?" Nate laughed again which was more like a wheeze. Danse sighed and forced himself to hold Nates hand, he gave it a gentle squeeze, and went for the door. "I'm serious, Nate" he said before letting the door close behind him, "you always are" Nate said to himself.

Hancock:

He is there to be there with him through the worst of it. He knows exactly what Nate is going through and feels so bad for him. At this point, Nate isn't able to eat anymore without violently throwing up; usually blood comes up with the food. The insides of his stomach are dissolving and his veins carry very acidic blood; any kind of sharp movements send him into painful convulsions. His skin is so badly damaged, now completely covered in lesions and boils, that he can no longer wear any type of clothing and needs to lie down. Hancock's heart hurts just watching him writhe in pain from every cough or shiver. He lies in bed with him, holding him as still as possible when he convulses. At night Nate yells out in pain, startling him out of a near sleep to check on him.

"I know, man, I'm sorry, this is the worst of it though, trust me" Hancock would say as he held the bucket for Nate to vomit into. After a week and a half of this phase, Nate's skin had suffered irreparable damage, he was scarred and burned but about 20 percent of the sores had healed. He lay there on his back and looked at his hands, more specifically his fingers, "I can't feel them anymore." Hancock was sad for him, the worst of it may be over, but the psychological bit took the longest to heal. Nate turned onto his side to face Hancock and brushed his fingers against where his nose would have been and John smiled, "that'll happen after the rest of you heals, the ears will go first though. You don't really notice it after a while." Nate closed his eyes and smiled before frowning coldly, "how do I… how do _we_ keep from going feral?" Hancock sighed and scratched his chin, "you just take it a day at a time, you stay above this, and you remember your humanity. I won't let you turn into one of them, you're too important to be lost."

MacCready:

He's the first one to spend time with him after he comes out of his recovery. Nate had been hulled up in his room for the last 7 months and he was ready to go outside. He sits on his patio and just stares out at Starlight Drive-in through new eyes. MacCready comes up to sit with Nate and spends the first hour staring at him in silence, just taking in the view. "How are you holding up, boss?" he finally blurts out, leaning against the railing of the patio. Nate looks at him slowly and shrugs, "mostly I feel like when you get out of the tub and you're fingers are all pruny, except this is forever." MacCready laughed and felt relief, at least he still had his sense of humor through the whole ordeal. "Would it hurt if I touched you? I've gotta say, I'm pretty curious about what your skin feels like now."

Nate grinned and shimmied his upper body from the robe he was wearing, "knock yourself out." Nate's voice would take a while to get used to, it was so raspy from the scars in his throat. Robert put his hands on Nate's shoulders and felt the grooves and pockmarks from the burns he had endured. He really hoped he wasn't hurting him, but it seemed that Nate was fine. "This is so weird! I mean, don't get me wrong, I'm digging the new look, but I've never exactly felt up a ghoul before." Nate shifted in his seat, he hadn't called himself that yet and it was new to hear someone else say it. MacCready dropped his hands to his side and fidgeted, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to- I didn't realize… shi- shoot, boss, I feel like an insensitive jerk, I'm sorry." Nate shook his head and waved his hands, "you're not in the wrong here, I need to accept it, that's what I am now, a ghoul." After a few more weeks of recovery Nate was ready to go traveling again, MacCready never brought up that he was a ghoul again, and convinced himself that Nate was no different than before. Soon he believed it enough to look past his rough skin and hollowed eyes, he was still Nate.

Piper:

Has a breakdown when she sees Nate for the first time after his recovery. She had gone through so many emotions, so many days where she thought she might lose him to the radiation, and now here he was a ghoul. This was so beyond anything she was ready for, she had prepared herself for his death, she thought she was ready to mourn him but now… she was at a loss for words. She didn't know what to feel; she was grateful that he was alive, distraught that he wasn't the same man he was before, scared that he was a ghoul, heartbroken that he might have changed who he was as a person. "Blue? Is that you in there?" Nate grinned and opened his arms to embrace her but she hesitated. She told herself over and over that Nate had died and this was some imposter trying to further break her heart. Nate flinched at her unwavering stillness. "Piper, it's me, are you kidding?"

She shook as she stood there, hands over her mouth to hide the gaping shock at his confirmation. This wasn't the Blue she knew before he got sick, there must be some mistake. She started crying and he took her in his arms in an attempt to comfort her. She was shivering so fiercely that she gave herself hiccups as she cried onto his shoulder. "It's me, I promise I'm still the same Nate, I just look and sound a little different." She was bawling now, caught in between wanting him to be who he said he was and wishing he would have died in his sickbed, preserving her memory of him. He laughed at her hiccups, the same laugh he had when she'd get the lyrics on the radio mixed up or when she would curse at her typewriter and suddenly she knew it was him. It had to be him, there was no mistake, this was the man she had fallen in love with, even if he didn't look the same. "I'm sorry, Blue, I'm sorry I was such a bi-" he shushed her and held her head against his shoulder, stroking her hair and tightening his hold on her back, "I don't blame you for your reaction, Piper, I know it's a lot to take in. I'm just glad you're still here with me."

Preston:

He's busy guarding the settlement when he sees Nate walking with MacCready into town. At first he doesn't recognize Nate, he automatically assumes it's Hancock until they get close enough to see that he's wearing a vault suit. Preston lets his weapon drop to the floor as he stares in disbelief at Nate. He feels a low-lying fear slither throughout him, ghouls just freaked him out; feral or not. Nate turns the corner into the house to meet Preston, leaving MacCready out in the street to trade with the caravan. "Wow, Nate, I heard you were sick but I didn't think it was anything this serious." Nate nodded and watched Preston closely, if there was anything to benefit from becoming a ghoul, it was the ability to see when people were lying to him. Preston wasn't lying to him, but he was more uncomfortable than he was letting on, he couldn't blame him.

"Luckily this is as far as it goes, I don't plan on going feral. Not yet anyway" Nate joked, but Preston only laughed nervously. Nate slid his mouth to one side of his face and crossed his arms. "You're going to have to be honest with me, Preston, if I make you uncomfortable you need to tell me." Preston opened and closed his mouth a few times, unable to say anything or think of anything to say. He was uncomfortable, but didn't think it would last forever. "I'm sure I'll get used to this, but it will take a long time, since we're being honest." Nate smiled, this was more like Preston, he was so straightforward that Nate had come to expect Preston to be honest with him right off the bat. And yet Preston was nervous that he might never fully get used to Nate's new look, and that hurt him more than he could describe.


	13. interacting with each other (in general)

Cait:

\+ Curie: they get along very well, but not at first. Cait is convinced that Curie is very uptight and doesn't know how to have fun. Curie on the other hand thinks that she could learn a lot from Cait, although she's a little more rambunctious than she's comfortable with. After a few weeks they grow on each other and it turns out Curie was right, she does end up learning a lot from Cait as far as street smarts go. She's learning how to defend herself in a fist fight, spit, and she's kind of getting the hang of insulting others. The same could not exactly be said for Cait, although she does pick up a few things from Curie; like where one might have to amputate a leg without damaging nerves, or how to tell if one has gang green, she prefers to teach than to learn. Once Cait feels more comfortable around Curie she takes her out drinking and finds out she can actually hold her own at a bar.

+Danse: It starts out very much the same as it did with Curie, but Danse is more of a hard ass. He thinks she's just some thug and at first he's not willing to spend any kind of time with her, inversely she thinks he's some pretentious, glorified grunt and doesn't deserve to see her at her best. She mocks him for the better part of their 'friendship' and he tries his best to ignore her, but when she's gone too far or goes on for too long he loses his cool and lashes out at her. Instead of receding or giving in, this is entertainment for her and she cranks it up a few notches. They don't ever really work past this, though she warms up to him over time due to his predictability, he doesn't give her the time of day; but he does think she's a pretty great ally to have (though he'd never tell her).

+Deacon: You could not find a better friendship in the entire Commonwealth. They clicked almost immediately through sarcasm and general wittiness. In the beginning they would spend nearly hours at a time taunting each other with empty threats until they realized that the other was full of shit, at that point they couldn't stop laughing. They friendship went from 0-90 pretty much in one day; pranking Strong, one-upping each other, telling terrible jokes and so on. She knows he's a liar but his stories are exciting, he knows she was a user and her recovery is impressive to him. He makes puns and she either laughs because they are spot on or jeers because they were awful and at the end of the day they are the most solid friends because there's never a dull moment.

+Dogmeat: She's the one to actually take him on walks when he's been idling around the settlements for too long. He loves Cait, thinks she's one of the good ones. It wasn't that way at first, but being that she loves dogs it didn't take long for him to roll belly up for her. She talks to him more than some of the others do, tells him about her day or how life was before she got out of the Combat Zone. He listens, of course, and doesn't have much to say, but wonders if she'll share her food with him- she does not.

+Hancock: It's a tossup most of the time, they will either be griping at each other or they will be pretty alright friends. She doesn't like that he can't stop using chems, she think he's weak for it, but she wants to help him. When he tells her he doesn't want help, that's when they get into it. They will argue for an hour or so about it before he leaves her alone in her anger. As long as he uses while she's not around, it's out of sight out of mind and he tries to keep it that way because for the most part he thinks she's alright. Ironically enough, they tend to get along better when he's high. He's just easier to talk to and will laugh at her jokes. She knows this is how it's going to be between them and she feels bad that she can't help him because she's convinced that clean is the way to live, but looking at him she gets it, this is the way it has to be. However, that doesn't stop her from arguing with him next time he shoots up around her, she thinks it's blatantly disrespectful, and he just wishes she'd chill out.

+MacCready: for whatever reason, she just can't see eye to eye with him, she thinks he's entirely dull and would rather walk Dogmeat than hang out with MacCready. He doesn't understand what she's expecting, he thinks he's a nice enough guy, he's done his share of rough and tumble getting over hard times, but none of this apparently matters. They work really well together for not being compatible friends, any kind of patrolling they have to do is always solid since she works up close and he's more ranged. They complement each other without being too buddy buddy and he would like it if she at least gave him a high five. This is how they started out together and it never really changes, she calls him by his last name always and he just says "hey" when trying to get her attention, they have come to terms with this for the most part.

\+ Nick: They don't care one way or the other about each other and this is fine for both of them. They seldom find themselves in the same room and when they do, it's just a nod and maybe a smile. On rare occasion Nick will try to make small talk, but Cait is very uncomfortable with small talk and just nods or shakes her head until he gets the gist and leaves her alone. He assumes it's because he's a synth and there's no telling if he's right or wrong, but if Cait has anything to say about it, he's right. She just has a hard time trusting him, but there's nothing that tells her he's dangerous to her, especially since he's been nothing but decent to her since they've met. She just gets the feeling that he's cold and devoid of trustworthiness and wants little to nothing to do with him. While he's disappointed about their relationship, he never puts any blame on her for not wanting to interact with him at all. She doesn't hate him, though, she fears him.

Piper: They are always on the verge of a physical altercation, and it has a lot to do with dominance. Piper is very headstrong and quick to take up the role of leader, but Cait has problem with authority and would rather do her own thing. Piper never gives her explicit orders, not just because she knows Cait won't be bothered with them, but because she's not the type to give actual orders- she just expects things to fall in line properly. Cait would rather bury her head in a dead brahmin than abide by any kind of orderliness, especially from Piper. She thinks Piper has no place of authority and tries to build her own and that just pisses Cait off to no end while Piper can't stand that Cait won't just do the right thing. They never have screaming matches, but they don't need to. Piper passive aggressively makes it known that Cait is a troublemaker with no sense and Cait insults Piper openly. Honestly they are about .002 seconds away from breaking into a fist fight at all times.

+Preston: She doesn't bother with Preston, he doesn't interest her and he doesn't respond to her taunts in an entertaining way so she leaves him be. Preston tries to 'educate' her on how civility can benefit her and if she's more lady-like she can accomplish anything. Pretty much he tries to convert her out of her ruffian ways and she only responds with irritation and ignorance. She doesn't care about what he has to say and just wants him to leave her alone. Preston just wants her to take initiative and put all of her potential out into the world. She avoids him at all costs because of this and will go out of her way to stay far from any minutemen camps. He's simply too understanding to be bothered by her insults and bouts of rage and approaches her psychologically, which ticks her off because she's just trying to get a rise out of him and all he does is speak to her kindly and she hates it.

Strong: They get along pretty well considering how they first interacted. He tried to smash her but she ended up suplexing him off of a two-story building. The fact that she did not flinch in the face of fear made him applaud her and they got on well ever since. Because of her innate ability to take on a much larger target than herself they are always in friendly competition with each other. He will surprise her on occasion; springing out of the bushes or bursting into her room in the early hours to attack her and she will fight him off and they will have a good time attacking each other. Some days, though, he does scare her. When they are patrolling the settlement they're camped at and he attacks and kills an enemy, sometimes he doesn't stop once they're dead and he just completely obliterates them. He does it to show off, but it terrifies her because of his raw power. Other than that, they are on good terms.

+X6: She avoids him as if her life depended on it. He freaks her out in every way; from his speech tone to his movements which are "way too smooth for a synth." She knows about coursers and she knows what they are capable of and she doesn't want to be anywhere near him. At least with Nick he has personality but X6 just makes her skin crawl. She had to work alongside him once and she was paranoid the whole time, she knew that she had nothing to worry about; not being a rogue synth and all, but that changed nothing. He didn't understand why a human would have so much resentment towards him, he wasn't out for them, she was no different, but the fear that she had towards him only made him feel more powerful, like he had more to offer the Sole Survivor. He wanted to impose that kind of fear into every enemy he encountered, and it was thanks to her for helping him feel that way- but he could never express his gratitude because whenever he came near her she scooted away another five feet. At least she wasn't rude about it, she could have run.

Curie:

+Danse: She admires him; the way he seeks order and his ideals on how to help the Commonwealth. Before he found out about himself he would have eradicated Curie, but now? Now she was one of the few people he was fond of. She was very polite, held interest in what he was saying and even offered to help him psychologically if need be. Simply to say that she was looking out for him, and he needed that more than he would ever let on. At first they only spoke as colleagues might, but in all honesty it was her child-like innocence that broke him. He had never really known someone so pure that he could consider to be on his level. He didn't talk down to her, even though he considered his rank in all relationships to be superior. She thought he could afford to loosen up a bit, so she tries singing to him the only song she was programmed with, happy birthday, and he just laughs because not only is it not his birthday, but why would that be the song they wired her up with? After a while he considered them friends and Curie was very pleased because she had thought this way quite some time before he did.

+Deacon: she thinks his jokes are rudimentary and his disguises are minimal but appreciates his cause. He tries to make her feel comfortable about being a synth in the first few months after her transition, he has seen what it's like after a few escapees get new memories and he knows how hard it can be. Curie is a big fan of the Railroad and tries to help out where she can, landing some new friendships along the way. Deacon is typically hesitant to spend time around Curie because she doesn't get his jokes and has to explain them for her, which destroys their purpose. It's all worth it when she laughs, though, he thinks she's alright. It's not until she tells him a joke of her own (she heard it from Cait) that he gets a kick out of her.

\+ Dogmeat: Curie is the one who gives him baths and while Dogmeat does appreciate it, he has never liked baths so he just whines the whole time. She doesn't mind the whining, watching the dirt and loose hair being washed away is very satisfying and she giggles when he shakes himself dry. She only pets him when he's just been washed, otherwise he feels grimy and she won't touch him. It is because of this that Dogmeat doesn't mind terribly that she bathes him. He doesn't understand what she's saying most of the time because her accent is so unusual, but he's always happy to listen.

+Hancock: she thinks he's crude, he thinks she's a catch and it makes for a rough friendship. When he's not making empty passes at her, he's actually pretty interested in what she has to say. She's very blunt in her conversations and this absence of façade makes him feel comfortable; it's not common for someone to be so upfront with him, and he appreciates it. His political views intrigue her and they have long conversations on his policies, and she takes it all in; not having any real prior biases in politics. They work well together, and make a decent team when it comes to clearing out raiders from settlements. She ignores, for the most part, his bad habits, but sometimes she'll smack him on the arm and complain. She has tried, in several instances; to slip him adictol and he scowl her but thinks it's also funny that she would try to trick him.

\+ MacCready: She calls him Robert and only throws in the Joseph part when she's had quite enough of his antics. He likes to poke fun at her obliviousness and overloads her system with sarcastic remarks and she pouts angrily at him. She'll inquire about his son every now and then, wondering if he's heard nothing about Duncan's condition and that means a lot to him. He thinks she's too pure for this world and tries to protect her at all costs, even when she insists that she is very capable of defending herself. She tries to patch him up when he's taken too much damage and, though he tries to shoo her away, he can't thank her enough for watching his back. They hardly get anything done together because he's having too much fun teasing her and she's too gullible to make an argument against him. One time he frantically rubbed hubflower all over himself and she stared at him confused and he said "radioactive ticks, they are pretty dangerous and hard to see, they hate hubflower." Ever since then she's carried around an excess of hub flower and can be caught rubbing it on herself, followed by subtle snickering coming from MacCready.

\+ Nick: She thinks he's a lovely gentleman and it worries her that he has a significant lack of skin to cover important mechanisms. She's tried numerous times to cover the holes in his neck with whatever she can find; from scarves to pantyhose to deathclaw hide. He never tried to stop her, and thought it was wonderful that she'd even try to fix him up. The deathclaw hide was sewn on for under a week before wear and tear caused the thread to tear and the hide to slough off. He tried to tell her that he was fine and it's been this way for probably 50 or 60 years now and he'll be fine, but she is determined. They don't talk very much because they don't share the same interests, but when they do talk she's always delighted by him. He's got an old way about him that reminds her of the professors she worked with in the vault who were very dear to her. She's always nice to him and she's curious about his bio-mechanical well-being so she asks lots of questions that he answers to his best ability.

+Piper: She tries to give Curie the ropes on life outside of the vault and they spend a lot of time together talking about what they do for a living. Curie is impressed and overall astonished with how only one person can write the paper that is seen by many. Piper insists on giving Curie her own column in the paper, a sort of health journal 'Ask Curie' type of thing and of course Curie was tickled. When Piper tried to tell her that minimal vocabulary and brevity were key to writing the paper, Curie didn't understand. It didn't end up working out, lots of people wrote in and curie was quick to give them the full run of the symptoms, the treatment and so on to the point where the previously two-page article became a full blown textbook. Piper admires Curie's understanding of health and science; two things she could never get into on her own. They work well together in short bursts, but anything more than that becomes secondary to them having long conversations.

\+ Preston: He's always been very fascinated in her story, how she came to be in the body that she is now and he commends science for getting her this far. When she set up a clinic in Sanctuary that became the center of commerce for the minutemen, he felt for sure that she was a godsend. Similarly, she thinks highly of him for spreading hope across the Commonwealth. People needed a man like him to get through the danger of life above ground, and the more that realized that, the stronger they all became. They talked routinely about the goings on around Boston, and she wanted to travel to the Castle, which is where she thought she was really needed; the headquarters of the minutemen. The idea was exciting to her, she would be able to help people who helped others and so she moved her clinic east and never felt more useful in her life, she felt she had a new purpose and it was all thanks to Preston.

\+ Strong: She was terrified of Strong for weeks after he had become a regular settler alongside her. After she realized that he had no intention of harming her or anyone in town, she gave him opportunities to show her he meant well. They talked for a time about how he had become interested in finding the milk of human kindness and she felt inspired by him. She decided not long after that that he wasn't so bad and that he was actually quite useful to have a round, especially when the settlement was under attack. He, on the other hand, doesn't mind her either way, but it's nice that she can give him medical aid when he needs it.

\+ X6: She knows he means well and thinks he's great in battle, but she tends to steer clear of him. When they do have conversations she tries to pry, to see what his interests are; if he has any, and if she can find a level ground to communicate with him on. Unfortunately this is all in vain because he just becomes irritated with her trying to get answers out of him. He does not take kindly to getting the third degree and after a certain point he shuts down and ignores her. Because their communication is so one-sided they do not work well as a team. She gets fed up with him because she tries so hard to be a good team player with him and he just refuses her.

Danse:

+Deacon: Danse cannot stand being around this man for any longer than two minutes. His very being annoys him and when he speaks Danse just wants to pick him up and throw him into the ocean. Danse tries not to talk to him, that way it lowers the risk of Deacon speaking at all, until they are in battle and he helps him out- he doesn't want him to die, he just wants Deacon to leave him alone. Regardless of Danse not speaking to him, Deacon still talks to him often, just commenting on their surroundings. Danse would rather travel outside of his power armor than travel with Deacon, and Deacon just doesn't understand why anyone wouldn't want to travel with him. He thinks Danse is a pretty boring guy, honestly, and he tries to make light of the mood, but Danse doesn't play along. That being said, they don't get along.

\+ Dogmeat: Danse really loves Dogmeat, he loves traveling with him, he loves his loyalty and he is probably his favorite _person_ other than the Sole Survivor. He is able to teach him tricks; how to hide if trouble comes around, how to run for help, and so on. Dogmeat respects Danse, he is willing to lay down his life for the man and he would rather travel with him than anyone else except his person. Danse does mock training exercises with him to keep him in shape and gives him really good praise, Dogmeat loves that.

\+ Hancock: they don't exactly see eye to eye, but Danse thinks he's alright as a person. He doesn't see how a junkie ghoul could make it as a mayor, but the fact that he defied odds to get to that point makes him respectable enough. Hancock doesn't care for Danse; he is wary of the Brotherhood and expects betrayal from him. When Danse turns out not to be a traitor, he dislikes him a little less. They fight well as a team, they are able to shout commands at each other without the other getting too upset. After a while they consider each other to be on the same playing field and have a strong mutual respect for each other. They don't really talk much outside of combat, but not a lot of words are needed, they get the hint that they're okay.

\+ MacCready: The fact that MacCready has had the slightest bit of militarized background is not only surprising to Danse, but impressive. Not many people are savvy with how important ranks are, and MacCready gets it, he respects Danse enough not to question him. However this does not mean he has to like him, he does not. He doesn't like the Brotherhood and he likes their chain of command even less, but he has to admit that Danse knows what he's doing. The only time they talk is when Danse compliments MacCready on a long shot or when Danse is telling him to watch his six and MacCready more or less grunts. If things were different, if the Brotherhood weren't involved, they might be on pretty good terms.

\+ Nick: There's a long period of time when Danse refuses to even acknowledge Nick, but after he learns more about his own past he admits there is a lot he can learn from him. Nick is almost like a father figure to him on some things, giving him moral guidance and general advice on things in life. They talk a lot more now than Danse talks with most other companions. The only rules Nick has with Danse are that he one: respect Ellie like a gentleman should, two: take his power armor off before he comes into his office so they can talk like two grown men and three: he leaves his Brotherhood rank at the door. They don't ever travel together, and that's fine by them, they enjoy the talks that they have.

\+ Piper: They are very suspicious of each other, and choose not to travel together because of this. They have a way of making everyone in the room with them feel uncomfortable from their blatant awkwardness. He's very sure that if she gets him talking she'll pry and dig for all kinds of Brotherhood secrets which he wouldn't give up, it would just anger him. She, similarly, is worried that he'll try to preach the Brotherhood at her, which she wouldn't join, it would just irritate her. Both are very apprehensive to be left alone together for any amount of time because there is just so much distrust between them. When it comes down to it, however, they would protect each other for the Sole Survivor because they know the other is important to them. They wouldn't throw themselves in front of a bullet, but they would keep shooting until the enemy was dead.

+Preston: They have a very strange set up. Neither one of them likes their organization but both have to fess up that the other's job has made their own easier. They have to agree that they have great leadership skills, but they would rather not tell each other that. Nevertheless, they travel together often because they know how to back one another up and keep themselves safe. Despite their disagreements they get along alright and have small conversations here and there about their past experiences with their group. Basically they swap war stories, since they have been involved in different battles, they get pretty enthralled in the other's stories.

\+ Strong: They flat out hate each other. Danse talks down at Strong, calls him a brainless mutant and just all around disrespects him. Strong has the capacity to ignore these insults, it only builds onto his rage against him. He wouldn't dare try to fight him though, their strengths are very evenly matched and the battle would be long and pretty close. Danse wouldn't give him the time of day even if Strong wanted to fight him, Strong is beneath him and the idea that the Sole Survivor would even welcome him onto their team is infuriating.

\+ X6: They silently respect the hell out of each other from a great distance. Even before Danse turned a new leaf, he knew that coursers were not to be trifled with, they were on the next level of weaponized humanoids. X6 also knows the abilities of Danse and wouldn't take him on unless it was necessary; even then he'd be hesitant to challenge him. They would rather not travel together because though they understand each other's strengths, they don't exactly trust each other. Danse has a long history of taking on anything the Institute sends his way and X6 is very aware of that, he thinks maybe deep down things never really changed in Danse's mind and he could turn on him at any minute. Danse is pretty sure X6 is out to get him; he's just waiting for the opportune moment.

Deacon:

+Dogmeat: they wrestle whenever Deacon comes to visit the settlement and Dogmeat loves that he's got someone to rough house with. He'll bark at Dogmeat but his accent is a little more bull dog than what he's familiar with so he doesn't really understand. They travel together only rarely because Deacon is always off handling important Railroad business and Dogmeat can't go with him. When they do travel together, Dogmeat has the most fun with him than he does with most other companions. When Deacon has to go away, Dogmeat gets sad and whines until he's out of sight, then just pouts for the rest of the day.

\+ Hancock: They get along swimmingly, but only rarely do they ever talk. When they do, they talk about business; either being the mayor or stuff with the Railroad. They joke around a lot and talk shit about each other. Hancock feels like Deacon's one of the good ones; he doesn't bother him too much about the chems and in turn he compliments Deacon on his new disguises (which really don't fool anyone). They work well together and keep things in comfortable silence, they don't need to say anything to know they've got each other's back. Hancock is really one of the only companions that Deacon feels comfortable with because they go back pretty far. He likes to think they have a pretty nice setup, he runs the town that runaway synths pass through, and he's always been a good sport about it, never asking too many questions; and in return Deacon makes sure he's always around town to keep things stable when Hancock's not there.

+MacCready: There's not necessarily bad blood between them, but they have no reason to like each other. They work together just fine as a team, but they seek no other communication. This is a huge disappointment to Deacon because he feels like MacCready has so much potential to be a good friend. They have a lot of the same personality traits but for some reason MacCready wants nothing to do with him or the Railraod. There's a lot of boiling tension going on that Deacon can't escape, no matter how hard he tries to lighten the mood. MacCready doesn't feel like he owes Deacon anything, not even his respect. He never did anything to him personally, but he just gets a bad feeling about him and everything he stands for. Over time Deacon stops trying to be his friend and considers him to be a lost cause.

\+ Nick: Of all the other companions, Deacon gets on Nick's nerves the most, but not to an intolerable extent. Most of this is because Deacon's puns are the worst and Nick has had enough. In just about every other way, they are good friends. Regularly, Deacon is Diamond city long enough to pop into the agency to see what Nick is up to and give him any leads if he's heard any. Nick gives Deacon a place to stay while he's in town and cares whether or not he's okay if he hasn't stopped by in a while. They don't travel together, so Nick is left to worry about him if it's been over a weeks since he's seen him last and Deacon knows Nick can take care of himself. They end up laughing a lot, Nick mostly does because Deacon's laugh is ridiculously contagious and he always cheers Nick up if it's been a particularly hard day.

Piper: They argue mostly, but not in anger, more of a friendly debate. This is entertainment to Piper, hardly anyone in town will even talk to her, let alone challenge her thoughts and see how firmly she believed in them. When the debates got too heated he'd put up his hands and sit down so she could chill out. She'd laugh and say "you're getting me all worked up, how 'bout another topic?" This would go on until he had stayed in the city long enough. They traveled together often and when he left town, she'd go with him to make sure he doesn't get himself killed. They made an okay team, but more often than not poor communication would lead to one of them getting shot, though it was never serious. She considered them to be good friends and he thought the same.

Preston: Preston values the work that Deacon does, more generally the Railroad, but Deacon had become the unknown face of the operation. Once he had gotten to know him, Deacon's disguises didn't fool him, they worked well on people who weren't looking for him. Once or twice he'd try to help him come up with a new disguise, but Preston's handiwork wasn't great and the idea never took off. Deacon feels similarly about Preston, he thinks the minutemen do good work and even if he's not the general, he was the one who start the organization over to begin with. They would travel together if they could but they are always on such different schedules. When they get the chance to catch up Deacon actually withholds his sense of humor so they can speak on a more serious note. There's a lot they could get done together if they found the time.

\+ Strong: Deacon teases Strong relentlessly, taking every opportunity to make fun of him without demeaning him. A lot of times he'll egg him on using some reverse psychology to take out an entire hoard of molerats or distract a suicide. Strong doesn't have a very high intelligence but these tricks don't always work on him. Sometimes Strong will be the one to goad Deacon into doing less desirable things like fight the small swarm of ferals or find the radscorpion nest. At the end of the day they accept each other without question, Strong will comment on how Deacon fights good for a sneaky human and Deacon will say how loud and terrifying Strong must appear to the enemies. It's a mutual regard they have for a each other and they never say it directly, but they never really need to.

\+ X6: Except for the initial horror and distrust Deacon feels towards him, after a very long period of time Deacon is comfortable fighting alongside X6. It took probably over a year for Deacon to be up to calling him an ally, but after what he's seen coursers do, it's reasonable. This change of heart does not affect X6's stance on Deacon; he's a decent shot but far too sneaky and works for an unlawful corporation and has been identified to make poor choices. Despite all this mixed esteem, they make a good team and are quick to take out enemies. They don't really compliment each other, but Deacon can't pass up a sarcastic "nice job" when X6 butchers a shot; but because X6 does not thoroughly recognize sarcasm he is quick to correct Deacon that his aim was less that efficient.

Dogmeat:

\+ Hancock: For some reason Dogmeat can't stop barking at Hancock; it's not a threatening bark, but a reminder that someone is there. He is perhaps confused by Hancock's state, not sure if he is living or dead, and wants to help him. However good Dogmeat's intentions may be, Hancock simply does not understand what he's being barked at for. He wants Dogmeat to like him, and he is allowed to pet him, but he's afraid that Dogmeat will snap his hand off someday. They can't travel together because Dogmeat's incessant barking will give away their position, but Dogmeat is just so worried that Hancock could go at any minute and he wants someone , anyone in the area to help him out.

\+ MacCready: You could not find truer love between a man and a dog. There's something about MacCready that Dogmeat just adores, and it's probably that he's a parent. Dogmeat pounces around MacCready, diving in and out of his legs until he trips him up and licks his face. This is almost routine and still he hasn't caught onto Dogmeat's antics and falls every time. They travel together often, patrolling around the settlement; he doesn't let Dogmeat get into any of the fighting because he's so afraid that he'll get hurt.

\+ Nick: Dogmeat behaves himself around Nick and tries not to lunge at him whenever they meet, but he just gets so excited. One time he knocked over Nick and felt so bad that he had his tail between his legs for half an hour, no matter how much Nick tried to comfort him. Nick is probably the most gently with Dogmeat, scratching him behind the ears or patting him on the side. They rarely venture out together because Nick is afraid something might happen to Dogmeat; he's so fond of dogs that any pain that might befall them would be a blow to him as well. Nick does his best to keep an eye on Dogmeat when they travel, but sometimes he runs off and gives Nick a heart attack, only to bump the back of his knees with his nose and startle the hell out of him.

\+ Piper: Their energies are so high that they bond together very well; she plays with him all the time by tossing toys around when she can find them. Whenever she comes to see him after a while on the road with the Sole Survivor she tries to bring him treats or toys, which makes Dogmeat always very excited to see her. At first this was done as a bribe so that he would like her regardless of her personality, but once she found out she didn't need underhanded tricks to gain his trust, she continued to do it as a friendly gesture. They don't travel together and it's because Dogmeat would just get in the way; she likes to take her time and explore and he likes to find things and bring them to her first, which doesn't really fly with her.

\+ Preston: Always makes sure to call Dogmeat a good boy and pat him on the head. Dogmeat thinks Preston is fine, he just wishes he'd give him a little more pets or maybe take him on missions. Preston doesn't typically acknowledge Dogmeat because he sees him as a mere pet that the Sole Survivor keeps. Over time Preston starts to give Dogmeat more attention, now and then he'll throw a stick or a ball for Dogmeat to chase after, but what Dogmeat loves the most is when Preston takes him hunting for radstag.

\+ Strong: Dogmeat was given specific orders to stay as far away from Strong as possible. As loyal as Dogmeat is, as good as he is, he can't help but be curious. The concern was that Strong would try to eat or smash him, but when Dogmeat went to investigate Strong he was in for a pleasant surprise. Strong was in the middle of preparing a meal for himself and he was also surprised when Dogmeat came over and sat at a distance. Dogmeat whined but Strong grunted and threw him a large strip of fat that he cut from the roast. It was then that they became friends, doing small favors for each other. Strong would feed Dogmeat scraps of food that he wasn't allowed to eat originally, and Dogmeat would bring Strong ammo.

\+ X6: Dogmeat doesn't see X6 as any different from any other person at the settlement and at the same time he smells funny, like nothing. Dogmeat, in his curiosity, spends a lot of time around X6, but only ever at a distance, several yards away at the least. X6 notices this lingering that Dogmeat has been doing and they just watch each other, patiently waiting for the other to do something spectacular enough to react to. It never happens and they end up going on like this in a somewhat permanent state.

Hancock:

\+ MacCready: These two have an understanding that goes beyond words. Hancock knows all about Duncan and his heart goes out to MacCready's family. If there's anything he can do to help, it's done, and MacCready knows this; and he owes him for it. There's already so much Hancock has done that MacCready will never be able to pay him back for, and he doesn't expect any compensation. Helping him when he needed it was the right thing to do and now they have a bond that's very close to brotherhood. They venture out together when they can, but more often than not they only hang out in passing.

Nick: These two have history together that no one knows about or even knows to ask about. They go back to long before the Sole Survivor was thawed out, and he might be the only one who knows how Nick really ended up with Ellie(but that's a story for another time). They made it a point, years ago, to meet up every month and talk about what's been going on, or there's been anything new in either of their lives. They never go on walkabouts together, but they have never broken a lunch date in all their years as friends. Nick has been there for Hancock through some very destructive times, talking him down from overdose after overdose and even a suicide attempt. Hancock doesn't know what he would do without Nick at this point, and never wants to find out.

\+ Piper: she's far too hard to maintain for his taste and she tends to ask a lot of questions that he doesn't have the patience to answer. He would rather not go on missions with her for the sole fact that she talks too damn much and doesn't listen nearly enough. She has a way of spoiling a perfectly good high just by opening her mouth and he can't stand it. Piper, though, finds him truly fascinating and wants to know what he's lived through because she's sure it would make a great story. She can tell he doesn't like getting hit with the question back to back, but if he would give her more than one-word answers she wouldn't have to pry so hard. He wouldn't consider them friends, more like friend-of-a-friend type friends that will put up with each other at most.

\+ Preston: huge amounts of mutual respect between the two and appreciation for tastes in grandiose prewar hats. They travel together only when absolutely necessary because they would rather sit down and chat about their ideals on with the minutemen or Goodneighbor. They have a supply line running between the castle and Goodneighbor and as an inside joke the supplier is always carrying one type of hat or another along with an issue of Astoundingly Awesome Tales. On occasion, Hancock will send KL-E-O along with the supply line just to make sure everything is okay as far as defenses. The first time he saw the assaultron, Preston nearly started a firing line but remembered that Hancock did mention something about this.

\+ Strong: There's a strange animosity between the two and it's founded on stereotypical dislike of one another's race. Strong is set in believing that ghouls are brain-rotted and deserving of being put out of their misery as quickly as possible. On the other hand, Hancock thinks that super mutants are vicious Neanderthal thugs who need to be put down. Neither one is able to shake their beliefs until much later on when Strong saves Hancock from being smashed by a behemoth brother. Hancock is the first to admit he was wrong and apologizes to Strong for calling him names and smearing his intelligence. It takes Strong a little longer to let down his biases, but eventually he does once Hancock steps up to fight off some raiders after he takes a little too much damage. They travel often now because they can take care of each other.

\+ X6: They have only met once and in that very short time they made all the predispositions they could about each other. Hancock doesn't like him because of who he was designed to be, the actual boogeyman, even though he didn't look as scary as Hancock did to others, he was the real one to be afraid of. X6 thinks that Hancock is some strange prewar history fan boy and needs to grow up and get with the real world; no one dresses like that, this is the future. He almost felt compelled to tell him about his atrocious wardrobe error, but maybe once he knew him better. That time never came, though, and X6 considers it a missed opportunity to better Hancock's way of life.

MacCready:

\+ Nick: MacCready really does not trust Nick, he doesn't say anything rude to him, but he keeps his distance. Nick's not blind to this, he can tell when people have a thing against synths and boy this one is full of that dislike. Nick doesn't give MacCready a reason to dislike him any further than that; he doesn't try to convince him that he's an alright guy or press him into conversation. Ironically this is one of the reasons MacCready is so hesitant to get to know him- because Nick doesn't make any attempt to try. They are in this fairly awkward stalemate and neither one is willing to try to amend things at the risk of causing the other to lash out.

+Piper: it's not that they don't get along, they just squabble like a married couple any chance they get. It's these petty arguments that help them get on as well as they do because they learn more about each other the more they bicker. It could be on anything from the impossibility of baby super mutants to cause of a leak in the roof or how no one has thought to milk a brahmin. They are tough questions to answer and it's because of this that they always take a different stance and go at it until they are blue in the face. They don't dislike each other from these arguments, though, because they are so mundane in nature. Above that, they never fight about anything serious and tend to make a good team on patrol so long as none of them ask a stupid question (you should have heard them when the Sole Survivor once mentioned how mosquitoes used to be small).

+Preston: There's a bit of an opposition here on both sides, Preston looks down on MacCready for being a mercenary, and MacCready thinks Preston is some self-important whistle blower. Beyond this unspoken classist dispute, they make a pretty solid team when they patrol the Commonwealth. They don't need to watch each other's back because they both take out enemies from a long range. While they don't prefer to spend time together outside of taking care of the settlement, they know they can get a lot taken care of and choose to work jointly. After months, they still feel the mild dislike, but not as strongly, in fact it's almost nonexistent and most wouldn't know it by how well the work side by side- despite them hardly saying a word to each other.

\+ Strong: MacCready loves to give Strong a hard time, and though Strong might fuss and groan about it, they get along famously. On occasion Strong would lift MacCready up to get a better vantage point and he would look like a little gargoyle up there perched on Strong's shoulders. Part of the reason they got on so well was because MacCready was able to treat Strong like a regular person, like there was nothing wrong with him, he was just one of the guys. Strong was a better cook than MacCready and he would always make sure they stayed fed while MacCready took care of the enemies that were too fast for Strong. They always chose to travel together and worked like best friends.

\+ X6: Blatant distrust was all MacCready felt for X6 and he preferred to stay far from him, going out of his way to avoid him and doing whatever he could to keep from traveling with him. He tried every excuse in the book to stay out of whatever settlement X6 was staying at and eventually the Sole Survivor stopped trying all together. X6 was curious about MacCready and wanted to know why he disliked him so much, but he never found anything out about him, and MacCready liked it that way.

Nick:

\+ Piper: They are good pals but choose not to travel together because their ideas on how things are dealt with somewhat clash. When they work as a unit, Piper proves to be very resourceful as far as helping Nick with any possible leads, but Nick isn't as useful to her as she is to him- in her opinion anyway. She doesn't have the same appreciation for him and that's part of the reason he won't help her without justification. He is able to get her into places that wouldn't want a reporter snooping around in by saying that she's with him, but this for some reason gets disregarded. Even though she takes his help for granted most of the time, he's nice with her because he knows she's been through a lot and appreciation isn't always everyone's strong suit.

\+ Preston: They respect each other for the most part; Preston doesn't mind Nick's synthetic nature and he thinks he's a damn good detective too. Nick thinks Preston runs a pretty tight ship and has been able to accomplish a lot since the minutemen virtually disappeared. They will work as a team every now and then but Preston works a little too fast for Nick; doesn't take time to read into the details and razes a building guns a blazing. Nick prefers to take his time, pay attention to the small things, get an understanding of the situation from all angles and Preston just doesn't have time for that.

\+ Strong: They tend to be very rude to each other, but only because they don't know how else to be. Strong threatens to smash the tiny metal man and Nick calls Strong an ogre. They travel together willingly, though, because they make a great set. Strong stomps around and gives Nick his space while also watching his back and Nick communicates will with Strong, letting him know if he's found anything interesting. A pastime of theirs is tricking raiders into believing that Nick will self destruct so they all head for the exit and Strong smashes them all; it makes for a show and they have a laugh about it after.

\+ X6: before Nick agrees to any kind of working together with X6, he gives him the interrogation of his life. After about a 4 hour grilling, Nick feels quite safe with X6 at his back, even if he is the boogeyman. X6 has a lot of reservations about traveling with Nick, but because he trusts X6, he feels more at ease around him than with most other companions and protects him. They have less than idle conversations and for the most part disagree on everything, but at least they are direct with each other and don't sugarcoat anything. Nick wouldn't call him a friend, but they make concrete partners.

Piper:

\+ Preston: She teases him a lot and Preston is actually slightly bothered by her mocks, mostly because it feels like she's trying to dig under his skin. She doesn't do it to make him hate her or anything, but sometimes she pushes a little too far and he tells her to stop in a more serious tone than she's used to, which makes her uneasy. After they calm down they talk it out and agree that they just need to act civil. They travel together on occasion and work considerably well as a unit. They aren't necessarily friends, but they get along alright enough not to rip each other apart.

\+ Strong: He makes fun of her a lot and she just grumbles it off, laughing at his sense of humor for a super mutant. They don't travel together often, but when they do Piper thinks he's a delight and Strong thinks she's not nearly capable enough to watch his back. When she turns out to be more than capable, he compliments her by patting her hard on the back until she drops to a knee, he then laughs at her. She wouldn't call him a friend, simply because it's a strange concept to have a super mutant for a friend, but a very close and valuable ally.

\+ X6: Despite not giving him an ounce of trust in the beginning, they are somehow always hanging out together. She's curious about the Institute and now finally she's able to have an interview with someone who had a hand in making them as scary as they were. She's able to get a lot of information out of him at a time, except he avoids some questions to keep everything just barely under wraps. He allows her to ask him questions because she's not really a threat to him and she's not making him out to be some sort of bad guy for just doing his job. They don't travel together but Piper always drops in to ask him a few more questions and then, surprisingly, ask him about his day, as if he matters as a person. This is a strange notion for him, but he welcomes it; to feel like one of the good guys for once.

Preston:

\+ Strong: They don't really have anything to say to each other. Strong is docile enough for Preston to feel comfortable with him hanging out around settlers and he also offers a great defensive line for when the minutemen are between settlements and not able to help out in time. Strong isn't intimidated by Preston and assumes he must not be a good leader because of this, though he doesn't mind Preston telling him where to go if there are intruders. They mostly tolerate each other and don't talk much outside of orders and grunts, and that's okay with them.

\+ X6: Preston is curious about X6 but generally steers clear of him. Every now and then, usually in the mornings, they will sit together in silence and just watch over the sleepy settlement. They take turns keeping an eye on everyone, X6 is like a silent guardian that stays out of the way of most, and people have noticed. While they feared him at first because he was unknown, more than half of the settlers have recognized him as helpful and an all around good guy. He never knew this positivity from humans while he was still with the Institute; this because he didn't deal with them unless they were harboring fugitive synths, but this kindness was new to him- and he liked it. This high regard was in part thanks to Preston allowing him to stay in the settlement, but Preston never brought it up, he felt it was the right thing to do, and he's been glad it's played out nicely.

Strong:

\+ X6: Strong doesn't know the difference between X6 and any other man and for that, X6 isn't sure whether to be pleased or not. He told Strong at one point how he was a courser, and what that meant, but Strong only laughed hardily and sounded impressed, "so courser strong, eh? Strong like super mutant?" X6 didn't really know the full capacity of a super mutant's strength and merely replied "it is likely that our strengths are well matched." Apparently Strong got a kick out of that because he laughed and continued traveling with him without any conflicting arguments. Strong likes to travel with X6 because they have small competitions on who can destroy the most enemies in the smallest amount of time. X6 enjoys this game, he likes taking out enemies as much as Strong and so they accomplish a lot while adventuring.

 ** _AN:_ I hope I'm not asking a lot here, folks, but could you pretty please send me some feedback? Give me some reviews? I'm very needy and I love you all. Happy holidays.**


	14. and the pain of loss

Companions reacting to the SS losing Shaun (( requested! ))

Wow so this one is going to be riddled with main quest spoilers.

This is your 5 second warning.

5

4

3

2

1

For this particular HC, the Survivor destroys the institute and does NOT adopt synth Shaun

Cait:

She hadn't seen Nora for days, in fact everyone in Sactuary hills was beginning to wonder what had happened to her. Finally, about four days since she had last seen Nora, Cait went to look for her and eventually found her sulking away on Spectacle Island. Nora had built herself a small shack on the far end of the island and from the looks of it she hadn't been taking care of herself. At first Cait was upset at her for hiding away, but once she got a better look at Nora her heart ached. "What's the big idea, huh? You're just gonna leave me at a settlement and not even bother to tell me where you've gone?" Nora was shaking, her knuckles were raw and her hair was matted up. Cait sat down on the dresser near the bed and fell silent.

"Shaun, he's… he's gone." Cait felt the color fade from her face, she tried so hard to get her son back but now he really was gone. She wrinkled her nose and shifted onto one hip, "did you at least get to see him first?" Nora turned around in bed, facing away from Cait and sobbed. Cait didn't know what to do; she had never had to comfort someone before she reached out to hold onto Nora's shoulder but pulled away just before touching her. "Nora, I…" She really didn't know what to say and it was destroying her, Nora had helped her through her darkest time and here she was in need of Cait and she choked. Somehow she willed herself to lie behind Nora and wrapped herself her, squeezing her hand. Nora just cried and her body shook but having Cait there was a comfort that she wasn't counting on. After a few minutes her crying calmed down and she took a few deep breaths. "Are you okay now?" Nora didn't speak, she only nodded slowly. Cait didn't realize, but she had been crying too; seeing Nora in this much pain made her ache too. It was so hard seeing someone so strong become so defeated. Finally words started coming to her, "I'm here for you; even if you need me to go away, I'll still be here for you okay?" Nora stayed quiet for a long time after that without even so much as a whimper. Cait thought she had fallen asleep but then Nora turned to face her. Her face was wet and blotchy and her eyes were swollen and red and Cait took it all in. "Please don't go away, Cait. I need you here." Nora started to cry again and Cait wiped away the tears away as they ran down her face and she kissed her forehead. "I'm not going anywhere."

Curie:

She watched with excitement as a blue light shot down from the sky and Nora appeared. Transportation was so fascinating to her, it was so unknown and she wanted to know more but something was horribly wrong. A moment after Nora appeared in front of Curie; she collapsed to the ground and screamed. Curie didn't know what to do; Nora's heart rate was through the roof yet she had no signs of physical injury. She knelt beside Nora and tried to examine her more closely, "what's wrong? Are you ill?" Nora held her face in her hands and cried, shouting incoherently between sobs and Curie was deeply concerned. "What is it? Please, tell me!" Nora couldn't even form words, she could hardly catch her breath and suddenly she passed out. Curie was very alarmed and called for help, a couple nearby settlers helped Curie carry Nora to a bed so she could rest and Curie stayed at her bedside until she came to.

Hours had passed before Nora woke up and when she regained consciousness she lie there in a near catatonic state. Her lips moved but no words came out; she didn't fully blink, she only fluttered her eyelids or twitched. "Please, Nora, say something, I need to know you're okay." Nora turned her head and looked into Curie's eyes, "my son is dead." Curie put her hands over her mouth and felt a tightening in her stomach. Empathy was something new for her, she understood sympathy but this was awful. She noticed that she stopped breathing and had to remind herself how to breathe. Nora on the other hand had become emotionless; the trauma was too much for her. Shaun had become someone who she could never be proud of, but he was still her son and for all intents and purposes she loved him- even if she was the one who ultimately killed him.

A day and a half passed before she could say anything else but when she did speak again she told Curie everything, about the Institute, about the Railroad, about who Shaun had become. Through her entire retelling over everything she had been through she didn't cry once, but Curie was a mess. Somehow Nora took comfort in Curie's sadness; it was as if her internal pain had validation and it really was as bad as it felt. "I'm so sorry for your loss, I don't know how much help I can be; I was designed for science, but not of the brain and emotions. If I can help, please let me know." Nora took Curies hand and kissed the back of it, "thanks, Curie. I'll keep you posted."

Danse:

He wasn't there when Nora blew up the reactor of the Institute but he was aware of her mission. He knew what she was risking and couldn't be more proud of her for doing what she thought was right, but he couldn't help but feel her sadness through her silence. It had been three weeks since the event and he watched her lean over the railing of the Prydwen. She looked down at the Commonwealth and noticed Danse watching her and looked over to meet his eyes. "This has gone on long enough, Nora, you need to talk to someone." She held her stare as he walked closer to her and eventually his side was at hers. "There's really nothing to talk about, what's done is done." He broke eye contact and looked down at the dim lights below, "that's bullshit and you know it. Look, I've been here for you since day one, and I know how important it was for you to find Shaun, all of this? It can't be 'nothing' to you."

Nora's face was warm, he wasn't wrong but she'd be damned if she admitted he was right. Letting her son die was the hardest thing she'd ever done. She was so focused on the darkening sky that she didn't notice that his eyes were on her again. "It doesn't have to be me, just talk to someone, please." She felt his hand on the small of her back and he kissed her temple. He began to walk away but she stopped him, "wait." He looked at her over his shoulder and waited for her to say something, anything. "I don't know how to talk about what I feel. I don't even know what to feel. I'm sad, yes, but it's more than that. I feel betrayed, I feel used, I feel worn out and I'm just so tired. So damn tired, Danse, and can't keep doing this." He turned to face her fully and walked towards her slowly. She covered her eyes with the back of her hand and her face was red; there was no hiding that she was on the verge of tears.

He was quick to hug her; despite his metallic exterior he was quite gentle. Past Nora he saw a scribe walk onto the runway but a quick glance sent her back to the stairwell behind her. He held her as she cried and she tried to say more but nothing came out clearly. "It will be okay again, when the time comes you'll be okay." She dried her face and took a few steps back and he looked down at her, she was incredibly vulnerable and seeing her like that made him feel odd. He wanted her to be strong, but he knew telling her to be strong wasn't going to win him any battles, he almost felt useless. He didn't know much about coping, but he felt like there was nothing he could do at this point. "I'll set you up with someone to talk to, it's going to be okay."

Hancock:

He's at a complete loss, when he sees Nora after the event. She's obviously distraught and he initially doesn't know what to do. All he can do is hold her and let her cry on his shoulder and he feels terrible for not knowing what to do. His hands are shaky but he sets them on her back, her arms are tucked against his chest and she keeps her face on his shoulder. "It's alright, love, you're safe here, I've got you." They stay this way for close to half an hour, but in that moment time doesn't exist; it's just the two of them. He's not able to comfort her; words aren't coming to him- at least nothing useful. He wants to say how much he loves her and how much she means to him but he knows it won't help.

"Do you want to talk about it?" he asked, she sniffled. "My son is gone, he's really gone." Hancock nuzzled his face into the side of her head. In his mind he imagined a small boy, but then he remembered that she told him who Shaun had become. He clenched his jaw, he was very bitter towards the Institute and wanted them stopped as much as the next guy but at what cost? He never wanted to see Nora so broken but knowing that the Institute was gone would be a weight from everyone's shoulders. "I'm sure you did what was right, ever since you walked out of the freezer this place has gotten better and better." He could have swore he heard her laugh, but it might have been the chems. She inched back from him and smiled weakly, wiping her nose with the back of her wrist.

"I love you, you know that?" She finished drying her face and he beamed at her. Everything about her made him feel whole and he wanted her to love him forever, even if she wouldn't be around that long. He forced the thought from his mind and just watched her as she tried to calm herself down. She seemed a lot better but he knew that looks could be deceiving. He wasn't going to ak her anything else, if she wanted to talk about it she would. As long as she let him know when she needed him, he'd always be there.

MacCready:

It was very late when she returned to the house she made for them, probably 2 or 3 in the morning. She didn't want to wake him so she crept into bed without turning on the lights. Mac, however, was a very light sleeper and felt her impression on the mattress. Once she got comfortable, his arm under her head and her hand on his chest he startled her. "Didn't expect you to come home until tomorrow, this is nice." He kissed her head and settled under her weight; this was home to him. She didn't feel right, something was off and he couldn't place it, "something the matter?" He brought his arm that she was resting on tighter around her. She sighed and shifted a little, "is it okay if we wait until morning to talk about it?" He held his breath, he did not like the sound of that, "yeah, okay."

He couldn't sleep, even after she had dozed off. He stared at the ceiling, wondering if he had done something wrong. He was so in his own head about everything that upset her that he went on like this for days at a time sometimes. She stirred and breathed lightly, "Baby, I promise it's not you, will you please go to bed? I love you." He grinned but also felt ashamed that he was able to wake her, it must have been his nervous energy. Once he was able to fall asleep morning came quickly and she was gone before he woke up. He looked around for her after propping himself up on his elbows and found her half asleep on the couch; he guessed he had been thrashing again and sighed but she cleared her throat. "Yesterday, I defeated the Institute, not single-handedly but I'd call it an impressive feat." He smiled over at her and let himself fall back onto the bed. "That's my girl, taking out the bogeyman" he put his hands behind his head and snuggled into the blankets.

Nora looked over at him and smiled before letting the corners of her mouth fall into a frown. "In doing so, I had to let the director die with it, the director just so happened to be my son." MacCready shot out of bed and scrambled over to her, kneeling beside her and holding her hand. "Holy shi-oot, seriously? Are you okay?" Her free hand got lost in his mess of hair and she clasped onto small tufts. "I will eventually be okay, yeah, but I don't want to let this bring me down. It had to happen, it was the only way." MacCready nodded but inwardly he couldn't imagine what she was going through, whatever she was feeling was probably worse than imagination could comprehend. He looked at her more closely, she had been crying recently, her face was puffy around her eyes and she kept blinking like she was trying to keep from crying again. "You did what anyone else would have done," he said, but she knew that he wouldn't if it had been him and Duncan- but she understood the sentiment. He was worried about how well she seemed to be holding up, but also proud that she was trying to be strong.

Piper:

She cries with Nora, she had so hoped that her family would be made whole again. They spend a lot of time together and Piper, while glad that she's the first one Nora came to, is absolutely distraught over Nora's loss to the point that she considers it to be a loss of her own as well. Nora had told her all about Shaun; how she had hoped he'd turn out, how she thought he'd look just like his father, and how she wanted more than anything to find him. Now that he was gone there was nothing that could close that wound. Piper thought about writing an article, but never got around to it, she thought it may have been too invasive. After about a week, she was still trying to comfort Nora; she sat in bed propped against the headboard and Nora lay over her lap. Piper combed through Nora's hair with her fingers and sighed; just when she thought Nora had run out of tears to cry, there would be times like this when she hit a low and cried for an hour or two.

It's not like she didn't understand, she did; she was familiar with loss- but she wanted Nora to be strong like Piper knew she was capable of being. She looked straight ahead, the question of how or what exactly happened was like a tight knot in her throat. Nora never really gave her any details, and up until now Piper was fine with this but deep down she felt like she deserved to know. At the same time, she didn't want to open those fresh wounds all over again. Piper sighed again and Nora turned to look up at her, she had noticed Piper's restlessness and didn't want to avoid the pressing details anymore. After a very tense couple of minutes Nora finally started to tell Piper everything.

Piper felt pressure in her face that built up into tears as she listened to Nora recount everything that had happened between her, Shaun, and the Institute. When she was done, Piper had her mouth covered with her hands and Nora sat on the other end of the bed cross-legged and staring out into space. Piper didn't know what to say, she only withed she had told her sooner, maybe it might have helped with how she was comforting her. "Blue…" was all she could muster up, she didn't want to say that she was sorry because she wasn't the type, but she wanted her to know how badly she felt about it. Nora almost smiled but had to take a deep breath, she exhaled for a while, trying to steady herself. "Thanks for being here for me, Piper, I… thank you." Piper leaned forward, putting her hands on Nora's knees and gave them a small squeeze, "of course." Nora ran her thumb over Piper's face and dried her tears, "we'll get through this together" Piper said and gave her a hug.

Preston:

He can't believe what she's telling him, she looks like she's about to cry but the tears never come and that worries him. Her son just died and she's unable to process it and he's the one she turns to. He's bewildered at her reaction to trauma; this absolute lack of emotion is something he didn't quite expect, even from someone as strong as the general. He sits her down and tries to get a better read of the situation and she tells him everything. After all is said and done, even after she tells him how she was forced to let him die, she's unable to show any emotion- she just shuts down. "General, uh, Nora, look; I don't want to tell you how to feel, but I'm sure it's not good for you to be so stone-faced at a time like this."

The truth is that she is dangerously sad, almost to the point of wanting to leave the Commonwealth behind and leave her sanity there with it. She doesn't know how to comprehend anything that has happened in the last 8 and a half hours and she knows that this isn't right. "What am I supposed to do now?" her words are flat but there's a sense of desperation in her voice. She needed guidance, anything he could have said would have been enough but instead of speaking he acted. He brought her into a firm hug and tucked her head under his chin. "You don't need to think about what to do next, just focus on the present." She sunk against him and silently let the tears flow finally, he didn't even realize she was crying until she sniffled and he nodded. "It's okay, let it out, I'm here."

She did just that, she cried progressively harder as time passed and she held his coat tightly in clenched fists and rubbed her face against her chest. He held onto her the whole time, she needed him and he felt warm at the thought of being needed. He lived to be the hero in times like these, especially for someone he cared so much for. After being so resilient, it was good for her to have a long cry like this; he knew that bottled up emotions only led to bad things like chems or heavy drinking. He rubbed her back and adjusted his head to where his cheek pressed against the side of her head. His body ached from sitting in such a strained position but he didn't want to disrupt her. He wanted to know that she could rely on him, that he would be there if she needed him, that she was more important to him now than ever and he knew that actions spoke louder than words. They didn't say anything else in the rest of their time spent like that and when she went to bed that night she didn't want to be alone. He held her as she fell asleep, still glad to be able to help her.

BONUS!

Deacon:

Nora hadn't mentioned that her son was the head of the Institute until they were all safely back in the headquarters of the Railroad. Desdemona didn't have much to say as far as comforting words and Deacon resented her for that initially. Once things quieted down Deacon led Nora outside and they sat on the steps of the old church and he offered her some gumdrops. "I think maybe we should talk about what happened," he said almost casually, chewing on a green gumdrop while she picked a red one. "I didn't know that the big bad was your son. Hell I almost wish you would have said something." Nora swallowed the candy and picked around until she found another red one. "It wouldn't have changed anything, Deacon, the Institute needed to go." Deacon opened up another pack of gumdrops, he wanted a red one but she had eaten them all.

"Are you okay, though? I mean I know you were looking for him for so long and he ended up being…" He trailed off and she picked up the conversation, "an asshole. That's what he became. He was never my son once they took him from me. I brought him into this world, but he wasn't mine. I lost my family that day, and I know that now." She was tougher than he realized, he didn't know anyone who could have gone through what she had. Come to think of it he didn't know anyone who could hide undeniable pain and anguish like he could. He looked at her face, she seemed calmer than the day they met, and that was distressing to him. "Nora, is there something else?" She twisted her face after eating a yellow gumdrop and spit to the side. She shook her head and made a disgusted noise then faced him.

"How come you always wear sunglasses?" she asked, he shrugged, "because I'm blind." They laughed and she sighed, "sometimes people just don't feel the way you want them to when something goes wrong. Sometimes people cry and cry, others will laugh, you wear sunglasses." He tensed up, no one had ever called him on that; no one had ever caught it. She smirked and leaned back on her hands, "don't worry, you're secret is safe with me. The only difference between us is I don't need sunglasses." He didn't know what to say, he never considered it a secret; but that wasn't the point. The point is that she had this bottled up misery and she had no intention in letting it out. She held his hands in hers, "I'm gonna be okay, Deacon, we're good."

Valentine:

She doesn't have to say much when she comes stumbling into the agency, the pained expression on her face is enough; her voice is airy as she looks to the detective, "Nick." Wordlessly, Nick moved passed the horde of filing cabinets and around the desk to catch her in his arms just as she is about to collapse. Ellie gasps and watches in shock as Nora cries out, seeming to be in excruciating pain. He sits down on the floor and holds her to his chest, one of her arms is hooked around the back of his neck, the other curled tightly against her own chest, her hand balled in a fist. "Nora, what's the matter?" She shakes violently and can't seem to catch her breath. Nick looks over to Ellie and nods his head over to the door and Ellie quickly leaves the room. "Come on, kid, you gotta tell me what the problem is so I can fix it."

She writhes before letting herself become reasonably still and her grip loosens from around his neck, "my son, he's… I've killed him, I-" she can't finish the sentence before she erupts with another scream and her body goes into convulsions again. Nick is in shock, he never expected this; she had done so much to find her boy and hearing that she killed him confused him. "What do you mean you killed him?" She groaned and shook her head, he was trying to be comforting, but she was being frustrating. "Now listen, I get that you're in a lot of pain right now, but you need to pull yourself together and talk to me. I can't help you if you don't talk to me."

After a long period of silence, she tells him how Shaun was the leader of the Institute and the only way to stop them was to stop him. He cranes his neck and exhales roughly, it all made sense now, everything leading up to her finding the Institute in the first place- it had all been too easy for her. No one as good as Nora ever got off easy without some kind of catch, but this was almost villainous. "Hell, I'm sorry. It's not right, what happened, but you did the Commonwealth a favor by taking out the Institute. Everyone owes you their lives for what you've done. Not many people would be able to make the decision you did, but let me be the first to thank you. I'm proud of you but damn if I don't feel your loss. If you need to talk to anyone, we're here for ya." She calms down soon after, he's always been there since she met him; every step of the way wouldn't be possible without him and hearing that he was proud meant more to her than anything at that moment. "Thank you, Nick" she said and she didn't have to see it to know that he was smiling at her.


	15. Fear and Loathing

Cait: she's got a deep underlying fear of being made fun of for her accent. Not only does no one else she ever meets have her accent, but it's so rare and 'exotic' to the people of the Commonwealth that she just expects ridicule. She's lowkey afraid of the dark and somehow finds a way to never mention it, but always avoid it by creating some kind of light source. Also, she wouldn't call these fears but they fall under pet peeves she never wants to encounter: wet socks, the smell of brain fungus, having a runny nose

Curie: absolutely terrified of bugs, just flat out cannot handle them, rad scorpions are the worst because of all those legs. The survivor and she were talking about this at one point and they describe centipedes and she just looses it. She's also got a mild fear of chipping her teeth or getting cavities; anything negative involving her teeth because she doesn't trust anyone to fix them for her and doesn't have the proper understanding of dentistry to fix them herself. Her pet peeves include being anywhere near still water (because the potential for singwings and other nasty bugs), getting anything under her fingernails, and uncomfortable shoes.

Danse: He's not open about his fears at all to anyone but if they come up in conversation he will become visibly uncomfortable and fidgety. The big one is open water, being in, around or over the ocean or river makes him very nervous. He's afraid of drowning, he knows that in power armor he will sink like a stone and since he feels safe in the power armor he would just rather stay away from open water all together. On a lesser scale he's claustrophobic, but of certain spaces like shopping isles or office buildings, he'd prefer to stay away from them but he'll put up with them if that's where he and the survivor are exploring. He hates when people are passive aggressive, the color yellow, and the texture of uncooked cram.

Deacon: He's deathly afraid of the paranormal from ghosts to demons or spirits, he will not mess around with anything of that nature. The survivor once told him a story about how Ouija boards were big for some folks before the war and Deacon just grunted and shook his head the whole time. He is also scared of dogs, but not as much as ghosts. He claims to have had an incident in his childhood where a dog nearly bit clean through his arm and had scars to 'prove it' but they could be from anything. He's peeved by hats that don't fit him just right, the smell of cigars, and those damn Atom Cat hoodlums.

Hancock: Horribly afraid of thunderstorms, will not be caught dead in one if he has anything to say about it. He thinks they're way too loud; the rain doesn't help either because it ruins his mood, lightning? Forget about it. He's also got a fear of being alone, he can't stand it and it puts him in a low where he gets very quiet and paranoid. He gets irritated with people who mock God, he used to be very religious at one point and even though his faith aint what it used to be, he has no room for people in his life to mock religion. On top of that he also hates seeing those bits of fish washed up on shore and when people bring up the fact that he's a ghoul; he gets it, he knows.

MacCready: He's very body conscious and he's terrified someone will actually notice how awful he thinks he looks. Aside from that he's also pretty afraid of heights and will avoid at all costs having to be anywhere above ten feet up. If the survivor does bring him somewhere up high he will stay way away from the edge of the building and on occasion, if he looks to the horizon and can see that he's high up, he will get on the floor, he will crawl around or sit and scoot, anything to keep him near the ground. His pet peeves are Travis Miles, not wearing his coat, and having to show his teeth at all.

Piper: She's very afraid of losing her sister in any way be it actually misplacing her, death, or emotional distance, it's something she can't bear to think about. Mirelurks also freak her out, the noises they make or their little beady eyes makes her want to scream, she can't even stomach the thought of the queen mirelurks, although the hunters and the kings don't seem to faze her nearly as much. She's easily annoyed by going without sugar for too long, the song 'crawl out through the fallout', and having stray hairs, especially on the back of her arms.

Preston: He's afraid of radiation storms, the sound they make when they come overhead makes him uncomfortable and he can't disengage fast enough. There's also the low-lying fear that somehow the minutemen will disband, he feels they've come so far that they shouldn't, but he still can't help but think about it at times. He's got very few pet peeves because he's learned how to manage his emotions, but he can't stand when people back out of an agreement, when Dogmeat shits anywhere near the settlement houses, or bloatflies.

Valentine: He's afraid of losing all of his memories of the real Nick's life because he's become him in every sense and that would mean losing himself. He's also scared of letting Ellie down in any way, he doesn't want to disappoint her, even though she's tried to tell him time and again that he could never disappoint her. His pet peeves include but are not limited to a leaky faucet, tripping over cats, and that low electrical buzzing that power lines give off.

X6: He's not so much afraid of things, more like he hates a lot of things. The closest thing to fear that he is aware of is becoming a free-minded synth with no sense of order or priority and to live in complete chaos. He really does not like animals, he doesn't want to kill them, he doesn't want to hurt them, he just wants them to stay well away from him. They are unpredictable and they make him nervous the way they dart around, especially radstag. He's annoyed by plenty of things, changing his outfit, the sun, and anything baseball related are just a few things.

Strong: Will never ever admit to being afraid of anything, but secretly mortified by the Prydwen. It's not because the BoS, it's because he doesn't understand what's keeping it up in the air. It doesn't seem to have any jets or propellers or any other mechanism to keep it there, and that unknowing is what keeps him wary of it. He doesn't like synths much either, they make him uneasy and he just can't trust them, even the 'good' ones. He's finicky about lots of things; he won't go near edible plants, elevators make him angry because he's usually too big to fit, and radroaches are his worst enemies.

Codsworth: His worst fear is losing the survivor again and he won't think of it if he can help it. He's also scared of getting blown up, Sanctuary has been attacked plenty of times and each time he's so sure he'll get blown up. He's bothered by uneven hedges, rude settlers, and Mama Murphey.

Dogmeat: He's scared of the economical downfall that the use of caps might bring upon the Commonwealth, especially since moderation and use is not regulated by any mint federalization or bank. Also he gets pretty nervous about the surrealism of the human lifespan and what happens to people when they die; where do they go, do they come back as a new human? In addition he's irked by student loans, the NCR, and hubris.


	16. in a relationship

Curie:

Nate was passing a few items over the counter to the merchant behind it and they gave him come caps in return. As he swept them into a pouch strung onto his belt loop Curie walked up to him, brushing her hand along his lower back as she passed. He watched her as she went, she gave him a wink over her shoulder and she continued on her way. He still wasn't used to this, ever since they had been intimate the first time she couldn't get enough of him. "You got anything more to trade or are you just gonna drool all over my inventory, stud?" Nate snapped out of it, and shuffled away after collecting the rest of his caps. She couldn't have gone too far but he didn't see her, instead he ran into Preston who gave him a new task for the minutemen. After Preston left him to put the coordinates on his pipboy, Curie snuck up on Nate, pressing her lips against the back of his neck. He got chills and shuddered, his legs turning into pudding as she slid her hands up the back of his shirt.

"Why don't we go somewhere more private, hm? Unless you don't mind everyone watching..." A slight grin grew over his lips and he turned to face her. She was only just shorter than him and she strained her neck a little to let her lips hover over his. He was trying way too hard not to let her win him over, he was a sucker for her but he didn't want things to be too easy for her, besides she always ended up getting what she wanted. He nipped at her lower lip, gently tugging at between his teeth; she didn't break eye contact, but her nails dug into his chest a little and he felt triumphant for a moment. He freed her lip and kissed her cheek, taking a small step back, "I've got a mission to take care of, darlin', maybe when I get back." Her eyes narrowed and she put her hands on her hips, "let me come with you then, I can help." He had a toothy smile when he shook his head, "not a chance, you're way too distracting. How am I supposed to get anything done?"

She glared at him for a while, thinking about his safety now and how dangerous it was out there, but also thinking about what they'd do when he got back. "I'll wait up for you then, please be safe." She swished her hips as she retreated into a house down the street a ways and he couldn't take his eyes off her. After a day he came back, bloodied and bruised but victorious in gaining another settlement. The first thing he wants is an ice cold beer but being that Buddy is at another settlement he just sits down under the tree house and lays there in the shade. Currie comes over and sits next to him, putting his head in her lap she starts cleaning up the residue of his enemies left splashed over his face. He might as well be asleep, this is as peaceful as things get around there and he loves it when she tends to him. He knows it's always quid pro quo with her lately and knows what she wants in return. He looks forward to their time together later, but it will take a lot of energy because she demands a lot from him. He takes her hand and kisses her palm and she lights up on the inside; she won't ask him to do anything yet, but when he's good and rested she'll be ready.

Danse:

The sun is just setting when Nate finds Danse busy talking to a small group of settlers. He runs up to him from behind and takes the fusion core out of his power armor and jumps around Danse and kisses him hard before running off laughing. Danse doesn't realize that he's trapped in his cage at first, he's too busy being flustered in front of the settlers who are making whooping noises and whistling. It's not until he tries to move but can't that he notices what Nate's done but even then he's not mad. After hopping out of his armor he runs after Nate, being much faster he manages to tackle him into the dirt and fight the fusion core out of his hands. "You're terrible" is all Danse can manage to say before he lays another kiss on Nate, this time there's more passion in it. The darkness around them shields them from being seen by prying eyes. Nate runs out of breath and turns his face to gasp for air but the paladin isn't through with him. Danse kisses Nate's jaw down to his neck and bites into his shoulder, not enough to draw blood but enough for Nate to inhale sharply and hiss.

"You didn't think you could pull a stunt like that and not get me all worked up, did you?" Nate laughs at Danse's authoritative tone which only makes Danse bite him again, holding on for a little longer this time. Nate bites down on his own lip, trying to hold back any sign of arousal that he knew Danse was looking for. Danse is breathing heavily onto Nate's skin and his desperation his showing but he denies himself another punishment on Nate's shoulder and sits back. Nate brings himself into a sitting position and the cool air makes his skin ache for Danse's warmth. Nate laughs and sparks up a cigarette to which Danse clearly disapproves. He's so particular about how Nate treats himself; any cigarette or beer or buffout Nate takes worries Danse. "You're not as permanent as I am, you'll get sick and die, then what am I supposed to do?" Nate shook his head, remembering a time when they had just met and Danse couldn't care less if Nate died. After a few more puffs Nate flicks the cigarette off into the night and he shivers.

Danse sees this as opportunity and scoots closer to Nate; he squeezes his sides with his legs. He kisses Nate again and again and tries his best to ignore the taste of smoke but it gives him a dull headache and Nate can tell. "Maybe we'll find something else to do with that mouth" Nate says, smirking, wishing he could see the expression on Danse's face. Danse raises his eyebrows and rubs the underside of Nate's thighs, "don't give me any ideas if you're not going to be sticking around for me to act them out." Danse knew that Nate was frequently in between missions for one faction or another and he liked to take his time with him. Nate couldn't exactly fight against being turned on with the very thought of getting Danse alone to himself, "I could take a few days off, I'm not exactly a punctual guy." Danse snorted, he was very aware of how unpunctual Nate was, his thumb pressed on the outline of Nate's jaw, the night was getting colder and he just wanted to be wrapped up with him in bed. "Let's get inside, you shit, you'll freeze out here" Danse rose to his feet and helped up Nate who slid his chest up Danse's before walking into a house, leading him behind him.

MacCready:

He looked over his shoulder to make sure Nate was busy in his conversation with Piper, judging by the fact that he was using his hands when he spoke was a good sign that he was fully preoccupied. Turning back to what he was doing he put extra water and rad-x in Nate's pack and also a tato and a rolled up note. When he was finished he walked over to Nate and slung an arm around his shoulder, giving him a peck on the cheek. Piper watched and smiled, she had them pegged as a couple since before they were together. "You two got any plans?" MacCready looked from Piper to Nate and shook his head, "I don't think so, do we, Nate?" Nate placed his arm around MacCready's back and shrugged, "I dunno, could be." Piper laughed and found an excuse to leave and they found themselves alone in their home. "Plans, huh?" MacCready watched Nate walk over to a dresser and take his shirt off to replace it with a different one. He walked up next to Nate and kissed him on the shoulder before sitting down on the couch near the window. "Yeah, Mac, we're going on a hot date, remember?" Nate laughed and MacCready lit his cigarette and looked over at him. "Hot date, right" he took a long drag and exhaled slowly, he didn't even notice Nate walking over to him. Then suddenly he was leaning over MacCready, hands on either side of him, bowtie hanging unknotted around his neck and MacCready was entranced. "Listen here, you little shit, you're taking me on a hot date or you're not getting any for a week.

MacCready wasn't used to ultimatums from Nate, he could only stare at Nate and let ash build up on the cigarette he held out to the side. He had never been more attracted to him in that white button down with his sleeves rolled up. He flicked away the source of the ashes and reached up to tug on Nate's tie, bringing him in to a kiss and Nate's knee rested on the couch to hold him up. "I don't remember making plans," he said taking a breath and returning to Nate's mouth. Nate pulled away and left a hand on MaCcready's cheek, his eyes darting from one eye to the other. "You could just make me dinner then" Nate said, letting his hand drop and he walked back over to the dresser, fiddling with his tie. MacCready stood up and looked around, "where do you want to go? It's not like there's any fancy restaurants around here, or anywhere." Nate glanced over at him and threw him some clothes, "meet me in the tower when you're done." MacCready looked down at the clothes and listened as Nate shut the door behind him.

Nate had built the tower for security purposes before MacCready met him but on occasion they go to the roof and full around. As MacCready climbed the steps of the tower he felt nervous, something had seemed off about Nate but as far as he knew he hadn't done anything wrong. His gut dropped when he reached the roof and he saw what Nate had set up. There was a table with a light behind it and some kind of food. Nate strolled up to him from the shadows on the right and nearly scared Mac to death. "It's my birthday" Nate said, kissing MacCready on the cheek and leading him towards the table. Except for that one light, it was dark so when Nate was able to see him in the light, how well he cleaned up, he smiled. They sat down and MacCready didn't know how to feel, he was very flustered. "I thought you were mad about something and you look great and wow it's your birthday? I had no idea." Nate intertwined his fingers in Maccready's and grinned at him, "you look amazing, glad you're here with me."

Deacon:

Nate was trying to listen to what Desdemona was saying, trying very hard to concentrate but it was becoming nearly impossible with Deacon shooting spitballs at him every other second. He knew what would happen if he turned around, he was ready for what would happen, but he couldn't do it or Deacon would win. Finally just as he had timed when the next spitball would come for the back of his neck he took a step to the side and Desdemona got pelted with a spitball to the chin. Deacon covered his mouth with his hand and Nate turned around and flipped him off with the largest grin imaginable. Nearly doubled over, Glory roared with laughter as she had been watching the two of them go at it for weeks with the whole middle finger charade. "Damn, I thought for sure he was gonna get you, Wanderer. Shit." Deacon was bright red as Desdemona glared at him, wiping the debris from her face. "We'll talk about this later, Deacon" she said, her voice firm and unwavering and it scared Deacon. After the debriefing and after Des tore Deacon a new one, Nate met him outside and just laughed in his face and Deacon sighed, managing a small grin. "You almost had me, Dee, I'll give you that" Nate said, dragging the back of his hand across his face to dry the tears from laughing so hard.

Deacon wrapped himself around Nate, hugging him from behind and pressing his lower face into Nate's shoulder. This hadn't been the first time he'd been chewed out because of something Nate did, but then again he had put Nate in similar situations. "Fuck off, Nate. If you forgot, I've had you the past three times, I practically let you have this one." Nate cackled and leaned his head back until it rested on top of Deacon's. They stood there a while until Nate started to sway from side to side, he had that habit of swaying after standing too long because his hips would get sore. Deacon looked behind him for a couch or a chair or something but settled on the ground and sat down, pulling Nate down with him. "What are you doing tomorrow?" Nate asked, propping his head back up and putting his hands on Deacon's legs. Deacon sighed and groaned, internally searching for anything he had signed up for in the next couple days. "I've got nothing, why?" Nate leaned back all the way and crushed Deacon beneath him and laughed, "yeah me neither."

Nate may have been comfortable but Deacon wasn't, he rolled Nate over until he was lying on his belly and Deacon rested on top of his back. He felt very regal for a moment, just lying there like a sunbathing lion, but Nate couldn't stop laughing and it was making him bob up and down and then he felt quite silly. "So what are we gonna do tomorrow?" Nate asked, muffled from the ground. Deacon rolled over onto his back and Nate set his chin on top of his hands, they were silent again, comfortably silent. "I was thinking about a trip to the glowing sea, go deathclaw watching, swim with the rad scorpions. Sounds pretty romantic don't you think?" Nate laughed some more, "dolphinately" he said giggling, even Deacon laughed at his stupid ocean pun. "Oh my god, fight me" Deacon reached down and slapped Nate's ass and Nate jumped. "You wanna go, let's go!" Nate said, turning himself quickly to be face to face on top of Deacon. Deacon gave Nate a quick kiss on the lips and smiled, "I will destroy you, Nate, don't test me." Nate put his forehead on Deacon's "Yeah? Why don't you just try."

Hancock:

He woke up that morning knowing Nate was going to leave on a mission but not if he had anything to say about it. He put his arm over Nate's side and snuggled against him, warming his cheek against his neck. Nate turned around to face Hancock and he gave him a sleepy smile and whispered "hey." Hancock grinned and brought Nate in closer by the hip, "hey" he said, pressing his lips to the corner or Nate's mouth. He was about to pull away, but Nate returned the kiss; letting his fingers trace the deep grooves and scars along Hancock's chest. He loved it when Nate put his hands on him, like he didn't have to be ashamed of what he was. "You're so lovey in the mornings, sunshine." Nate smiled and stretched his legs until he shook and Hancock just took in the view, despite how cold the nights got they always managed to keep each other warm. "Too bad I have to get going soon, Commonwealth ain't gonna save itself." Nate settled onto his back and put his hands behind his head, "yeah, too bad you're not going anywhere, the Commonwealth can wait," Hancock murmured and nibbled on Nate's ear. Nate had the broadest smile, he knew the routine; he'd have to leave on some kind of business and John wouldn't let him leave without a whole lot of struggle.

"You know how this goes, John, I can't stay," Nate closed his eyes and Hancock started to make his argument by kissing down his neck and rubbing his forehead onto Nate's chest. "But what if you didn't have to leave? You could just stay here…" His hands worked down Nate's chest and he sucked on his collar bone while Nate watched him with a fire in his belly. "I could afford a few hours, I guess but _hnnng John_ " Nate's back arched as Hancock sunk his teeth into the skin around his hipbone and Nate's hand instinctively went for the back of Hancock's head. "A few hours, huh?" the ghoul chuckled and raised himself onto his knees and straddled over Nate, admiring his facial expression, he could tell there was hunger there but he had to keep him there for hours. Nate's hands trailed up Hancock's sides and pulled him down to bring him to his face. "John, I have to leave today; I can't stay another night, I'm running behind." Nate kissed him softly but Hancock deepened the kiss by reaching up and pulling Nate's hair and suddenly pulled away leaving Nate breathless and flustered. "You've never been in such dire need to get back on the road, Nate, what's the hurry?"

Nate grinned, he didn't have to be anywhere for the next couple of days but the mad dash Hancock always got in the day he had to leave was what he wanted. Nate tuned his head and kissed Hancock's wrist and slowly started nibbling on it. Hancock sighed, "Nate, where do you need to go so badly?" he started to pout and the way he did it always made Nate feel bad. He became visibly distant and the amount of self loathing he felt poured out into the entire room and nearly drowned Nate in it. "I'm not going anywhere, I just… I dunno I wanted that fire you get when you know I'm leaving." Hancock sat back leaving Nate's body exposed to the cold air and was at a loss for words for about a minute before he cracked a smile, "you mean it?" Nate raised a brow and sat up to hold onto Hancock and pulled him back down on top of him, "yeah I fuckin' mean it." Then it was like Nate had never seen him so happy, He showered Nate in hisses and rolled around with him, laughing in euphoria then he got real quiet. "Let's do some Jet huh? This calls for Jet."

Cait:

Nate had just finished picking a lock and expected some sort of praise from Cait but instead she blurted out, "how come you're not as handy with your fingers when it comes to me?" He nearly choked; if he had a cap for every time she made a sexual innuendo at an inappropriate time he'd be living it up like those prewar movie stars. "Caity, my sweet, if you'd stay put when I used my fingers maybe you wouldn't have to ask" he cackled and pushed the back of his head and they proceeded through the building. They both had their weapons drawn, this was an unfamiliar place but from the looks of things they expected supers- their traditional heaps of flesh were strewn about and shrapnel and been twisted to form barriers outside. "Go check out that crate, I'm gonna scout ahead a little" Cait nodded and crept past him but not before he could pinch her thigh. She turned her head towards him and flashed a devious look before continuing towards the loot.

For some reason the building was empty, they supposed the Brotherhood had gone through and cleared the place out- luckily they weren't the type to scrounge through containers because they walked away with a good amount of ammo and caps. Before they could leave Nate pointed out a teddy bear with a bone saw and bits of another teddy bear strewn about on a table, "I remember something like this was on tv before the war. Some kind of homicidal cop or something, maybe a cannibal?" Cait laughed, it sounded pretty vague but she couldn't help but imagine Valentine chopping up people and eating them. When they got back to Sanctuary she couldn't even look at the detective without laughing hoarsely. "Do I have something on my face?" Nate only chuckled, "no, Nick, you're fine. Cait's just delirious."

Nate started working on modifying a new gun they had found, he had a lot of ammo for it but in its current state it might work better if he threw it at the enemy. Cait leaned against his back and brought her arms around him, clasping her hands together over his pant line. He groaned and smiled, she was always so clingy after they came back from a trip; this was not a complaint, he loved it. He started to turn around but she let go and sat a few feet away, "finish what you're doin, yeah?" She smirked up at him and rested against the post behind her; she loved to watch him try to work after she made herself unobtainable. He'd look back at her, pout a little and then be very useless at the task at hand, worked every time. When Nate was done he came over and sat in front of Cait, offering her a drink of water and some cram. She loved that he took care of her and they'd spend this brief time in silence, just admiring each other.

After some time she leaned forward and gave him a kiss just to watch him blush and she beamed. "Shut up" he mumbled, jamming another piece of potted meat into his mouth and she giggled as he grew more and more rosy on the cheeks. "I think you might be allergic to whatever's in that, the way you're face has gone all red." He rolled his eyes and swallowed , setting the can aside, then she jumped into his arms and he fell backwards. This was her favorite thing; more than the sex, more than the back talk, more than the laughing- it was him holding her. The ear to ear smile on her face was proof of that and he let his head fall back onto the concrete beneath them. She laid on top of him for a while, their breathing eventually in sync and it nearly lulled her to sleep until the radiation storm came through and they both took shelter inside.

Piper:

She was rereading her next article before putting it through the press for the fifth time when Nate came up behind her and knocked her hat off her head. She spun around so quickly that he thought she was going to hit him right then and there. "Really, Blue? You're gonna get your ass kicked, better just give up now." Nate was bouncing from foot to foot with his hands in fists and a shit-eating grin plastered over his face. As he bobbed back and forth he reached out and tapped her forehead and she swung at his arm but missed and she grunted, "I'm serious, you're asking for it." He continued bobbing and tapped her again, this time on the arm before running out of the building as fast as he could and she chased after him. "I warned you!" She hollered at him before leaping at him and knocking him to the ground in a small cloud of dirt. They rolled around for a minute, she was trying to pin him down but he was putting up a bit of a fight and ended up pinning her down. She pouted and kicked her legs about becoming very agitated before he loosened his grip and she wound up on top of him with his arms held tightly across his chest.

"Gotcha," she said, smirking at him, he smiled up at her and laughed. "For now, yes, it would look that way." People in the market place were making comments at how ridiculous they looked rough housing in the open like that. Piper looked around, feeling ashamed, and got off of Nate and helped him up. "Come on, Blue, let's get out of here." He held her hand and gave it a tight squeeze as they left the market for home plate. They sat against the wall and shared a cigarette, still slightly out of breath from their little tussle. "You know one of these days I'm really gonna pop you good in the eye and you're gonna regret picking on me." Nate laughed and acknowledged the faint taste of blood in his mouth, "tastes like you already got me good in the mouth." Piper gasped and her eyes widened, "shit, are you serious? Blue, I told you-" he waved his hand at her and smiled, "I expect you to hit me back, that's why I do it; also because you're cute when you're angry." She hit him hard in the arm before leaning against him. "You're some kind of punk, you know that?" She laughed and held his hand, weaving her fingers through his. He kissed the top of her head and snuffed the cigarette on the floor beside him. "I don't tell you often enough how much I love you, I think, but you do know that I love you, don't you?" Piper beamed at the sound of that, she never got tired of him telling her that he loved her. She knew he did, but hearing it was so fucking nice.

"Yeah, I love you too, Blue. Even if you're a huge jerk for getting me all riled up." In one fluid movement he pulled her into his lap and wrapped himself around her, nuzzling his face into her hair and unknowingly tickling her, she laughed and tried to elbow him. "I'm only a jerk because I love you so much, dork" he blew a raspberry on the back of her neck and she giggled uncontrollably. She squirmed against him and he lessened his hold on her and moved his hand to massage her scalp. She groaned and became still, "this is nice; why don't you do this instead? Yeah, you know what, definitely do this instead." He smirked and shook his head, that wasn't going to happen, she'd miss the play fighting anyway. She's able to go 100% on him and she can't do that on just anybody, especially Nat. "Alright," she said abruptly, "I'll take a kiss now." He snorted, "so demanding." She laughed as she cocked her head so she could give him a kiss, he turned so it would be easier, but the angle was so odd. He started to pull away but her hand shot up to keep him there and she gave him several smaller kisses before letting him free. He sat there with her in silence for less than a minute before she cleared her throat and swished her hear. Nate laughed softly as he went back to massaging her head and she sighed happily.

Valentine:

He knew that he needed to shut down soon and recalibrate his sensors, there was no way he had lost three days and yet here it was, Tuesday. Nick sat back and took off his hat; he toned down his audio receptors and his video receptors. He let the room dim and the world flush out around him and he closed his eyes. It would only take a minute, maybe thirteen minutes tops considering how long it had been since he did a file dump. He let his mind drift as the processors took over. While he was in this technological stasis, Nate crept in and sat at the desk in front of him. He had been planning this for months now and finally he caught him at the right time. He could hardly contain himself, this prank was just too good, he wanted to laugh about it before it happened, but he didn't want to ruin the surprise. Eventually Nick came back to consciousness and amped up his receptors again and opened his eyes and almost swallowed his tongue in shock. In front of him sat himself, but he couldn't see his face in the shadows. He moved his arm and the doppelganger moved it in the same way. He turned his head and his other self did the same thing. Nate was having a hard time not laughing as he watched the expression on Nick's face; he could not believe how well this was going, he couldn't have planned it better.

"Wait, shit, NATE!" Nick flipped the hat off of Nate's head and looked half amused and half frustrated. Nate was laughing so hard that his sides hurt. "Alright, alright, ha ha, funny" Nick crossed his arms and tapped his foot under the desk. "Oh Nick, I'm sorry, I couldn't help it" Nate was crying now from laughing so hard and he was having difficulty calming down. After a while Nate finally stopped laughing, or at least devolved into short breathy chuckles. "You done?" Nick asked, standing up and walking around the desk to stand beside Nate. Nate nodded and looked up at him and Nick grabbed Nate by the lapels and pulled him to his feet, kissing him hard. "You're a jackass" Nick said, pulling away from Nate's blushing face. Nate's hands traveled down Nick's chest and settled on the small of his back, "takes one to know one, handsome." If Nick could blush he would, instead he kissed Nate again, his right hand cupping the back of Nate's head, left hand trailing down Nate's spine, and he felt Nate swoon against him.

Nate tore away from Nick and fought to catch his breath, "you're just teasing me now, I know you." Nick raised a brow, glowing eyes cutting into Nate's, "what, you think I'll just leave you hanging out to dry. Come on, you know I'm better than that." Nate tensed up, he was sure he had him pegged; they never went any further than this, the ache was what Nate held onto. He didn't know what to say or do, this was potentially uncharted territory. Nick's fingers ran along the inside of Nate's pantline and Nick felt his body become weak and having him so vulnerable was exciting to him, he felt like he had power over him. "You know, Nate…" Nick brought himself closer to Nate until their bodies were pressed against each other and Nate let out a soft moan at the sudden thrust. "It's rude to sneak up on people," Nick whispered, barely audible but Nate shut his eyes tight, knowing what would happen next. Nick grazed his lips over Nate's jaw and walked away, leaving Nate to lean on his hands on the desk, his body shook. "We're fucking one of these days, Nick," Nate called after him but without even looking back Nick shook his head, "not likely." Nate sunk to the floor and seethed, one of these days he'd find a way to get that synth in bed.

Preston:

Nate plopped down on the couch next to him and rested his back against Preston's side. Preston had been reading a medical journal but had set it to the side to put one arm around Nate. "Is it okay if we take a break from minutemen jobs, I'm burnt out, babe" Nate put his arm over his eyes to shield them from the light of the mid afternoon sun. Preston looked over at the journal, he had the pages pressed down into place with his free hand and he started to read again. "Take all the time you need, there's plenty other minutemen, thanks to you." Nate grinned and felt himself dozing off, he had been working almost nonstop for days now and being able to rest with Preston made him feel at peace. With some difficulty Preston managed to turn the page and continue reading.

They remained quiet for a long time, Nate had fallen asleep and Preston was able to finish the journal without any interruption. He too had begun to fall asleep when shots rang out and he looked around and waited. After a few seconds the gunfire ceased and most of the settlers looked like they were getting back to their daily activities. Preston looked down at Nate, his arm had since fallen from his face and he was breathing steadily, obviously in a deep sleep because the bullets didn't seem to stir him in the slightest. At least Preston thought Nate was asleep then he spoke barely louder than a whisper, "what was that?" Preston shrugged, "I'm not sure, maybe raiders?" Nate made a small noise in acknowledgement and was quiet for another couple minutes before he sat up and sat side to side with Preston, setting his hand on the back of his neck. "I don't have to take a break, I think I was just tired" Preston met his eyes and saw that he looked pretty tired, he needed more than just a good night's sleep. "It might be a good idea to take a couple days off; I don't want you to get sick." Nate smiled and rubbed the back of Preston's neck with firm fingers.

It didn't last long, however, because Nate started to fall asleep again and his grip got looser and looser until his hand slid down the back of the couch. Preston smiled at Nate and sighed; he carefully got up and took Nate's shoes off and found a blanket to throw over him. He sat back down with Nate and let himself fall asleep too. They slept on the patio couch all night and Preston was the first one to wake up the next morning. He was very sore from how he had slept with improperly distributed weight and had to get up and stretch but not before kissing Nate on the temple. Nate woke up about an hour later, also sore from how he slept and looked around with bleary eyes for Preston who could hear but couldn't see. Nate took his time getting up and walking out on to the street where Preston was giving orders to people and telling which settlements needed help. Nate gave him wide smile after he was done playing lieutenant and Preston looked pretty happy to see him, "I'm glad you're up, how does breakfast sound?"

X6:

He didn't remember the day before, and barely the night before, but when he woke up; he knew that he was happy for the first time in a long time. X6 was holding Nate in his arms with their legs tangled together. He couldn't feel the arm that Nate was lying on, but that didn't bother him; he only took in his scent with each breath. Nate had been awake for a while and wasn't able to free himself from X6's hold on him; it wasn't a tight grip, but Nate wasn't going anywhere. "Hey, good morning" Nate said, rubbing his cheek against X6's arm. "Say what you said last night, I want to hear it again," X6 said and Nate had to think about what he wanted him to say. A lot of things had been said and done and Nate blushed as he thought about the night before until he realized what it was. "I love you," Nate said and waited for a response from the man behind him. X6 felt that same lightness in his stomach that he felt before. It was strange and comfortable and new and wonderful and he smiled. "I love you too," he said finally and Nate laughed to himself, this was the second time they had that exchange of words and it was just as bizarre and delightful as the first time.

"You can say it first too, if you want, just in case I don't say it enough for you," Nate said, yawning half way through. X6 blinked slowly; he had never felt this well-rested before, he knew he slept well but he could also go back to sleep with Nate in his arms. "I like this, this right now, whatever this is; you here with me, this is… pleasant." Nate smiled and tried to turn around; now that X6 was awake he let Nate move around freely but kept his arms around him. Nate shimmied up so that his face was very close to X6's and he gave him a very gentle kiss and watched him. X6 might as well have been glowing, his expressions were so much softer without his sunglasses on and now that they were this close he seemed almost human. Nate kissed him again and again until X6 kissed him back, lengthening the kisses. X6 was a fast learner, he was pretty unorthodox with how he learned, but he caught on fast enough. After a few more kisses Nate pushed X6 onto his back and he laid his head on his chest. The feeling started coming back to X6's arm and he put it over Nate's back. This physical contact was his favorite. Kisses were confusing but this was comfortable. He wanted to stay like this, now that he had this feeling it was all he wanted, nothing else mattered.

The morning passed quickly and soon the sun was high and the room heated up significantly. Nate was fine staying there, but he was way too warm. X6 didn't seem to notice, he was in a half-sleep daze and Nate just wanted to open a window or at least throw the blanket off. He lifted himself from X6 and shifted the plywood so that cooler air could make its way into the room and he kicked the blanket from around his feet and X6 watched him wordlessly. Nate looked down at X6 and gave him a toothy grin before lying back down, curled against X6's side and felt content.


	17. Round one of requests

Sick companions

Cait: She does not admit to being sick even after sneezing 14 times in a row. She'll continue traveling with the survivor at the risk of giving away their position when she goes into fits of coughing and they get shot at a few times. She acts like she doesn't like being pampered by the survivor but she loves it, she'd milk her illness well into a month if it meant they'd wait on her hand and foot.

Curie: She has these painfully high pitched sneezes that most people mistake as cute but they take a lot out of her. She whines and moans in distress, being sick is new to her and it's so awful, she just groans on and on until the survivor tucks her in and feeds her vegetable soup. She eats up the attention but being sick is clouding her mind so much that she can barely appreciate the gesture properly.

Danse: He's an absolute piss baby. The second he starts sniffling he just complains about it. If they're romanced, he'll guilt trip the survivor into taking care of him saying all kinds of things like "why don't you love me?" "I'm miserable, take care of me" "I'd take care of you, you know." And it's so pathetic that the survivor gives in to the vulnerable lug. When he's better he denies ever having been so childish.

Deacon: He shoos the survivor away when they try to give him any kind of affection, he doesn't want to get them sick. He's already got terrible allergies so having a cold on top of that is hell and he just gets very irritable. He's got scrap cloth stuffed in every pocket and he's clearly miserable, but he won't let the survivor take care of them in fear of infecting them and he'd just rather hide in a dark hole until he's fully recovered.

Hancock: He gets hit hard whenever he gets sick because his immune system is so jacked up. He's out for the count for at least 4 weeks and he's just this sniffling mess that won't get out of bed. Fahrenheit can't handle him when he's sick so she takes care of Goodneighbor while he's under the weather. Tries to keep to himself but if the survivor visits him he just lays on the theatrics, "this is it for me," " this is how I go," "remember me fondly" and so on

MacCready: While he doesn't want to get the survivor sick, he also does not care and is as clingy as ever if not more. He fusses if they have to leave him at any point and just sighs repeatedly until he goes into a bout of coughing. If they do end up leaving him to rest by himself he'll get very snarky about it and when he's 100% again he'll bug them about it for days afterwards

Piper: She does not even try to avoid the fact that she's sick, in fact she is a mess. She lets herself be a gross mucussy mess and there are mounds of soiled cloth all around her bed. She doesn't want the survivor to come near her because she's convinced that she's the most contagious thing in the Commonwealth. She's very firm about this and bars the door to keep them out until she's better.

Preston: He tried to muddle through it; he doesn't have time to be sick. Once the cold hits him hard enough he resigns to bundling up on top of a guard post and sniffling bitterly. There is little else he would rather avoid than being sick and so he's quite upset about being unwell. The survivor can't do much to comfort him as he grumpily waves them away, letting them know from a distance that he's sick and doesn't want to be bothered, but it's nothing personal.

Strong: The way he experiences a cold is to an extreme. He becomes useless from fatigue and needs to sleep for weeks, it's almost like an urgent need to hibernate. No one is sure if they should try to nurse him to health and the survivor makes the executive decision to just let him be while he's sleeping.

Valentine: He doesn't get sick, but he does occasionally need to adjust circuitry and this causes him adverse symptoms like sporadic glitching (in which he will suddenly sweep his arm out and knock everything on his desk onto the floor), loss of concentration (he stops mid-sentence only to pick up in a different train of thought), and overheating. He's ornery until it's fixed but more often than not it only requires the survivor to crack open his chest piece and blow really hard into the wires until dust flies out.

X6: He doesn't know what to do, he's usually a mouth breather and the loss of the use of his nose sends him spiraling into an angry fit. Once the survivor explains to him that it's only temporary he calms down a bit. They go on to talk about the science behind catching a cold, saying that it's part of living in the wasteland and that getting sick builds immunity. He doesn't quite buy it, but knowing that this isn't forever comes as a great comfort and he waits (more or less) patiently for the cold to pass.

What is their secret hobby?

Cait: She likes to dance, not any particular style because she's not exactly light on her feet, just moving to the music. She used to be embarrassed of it when the survivor first brought her to live with everyone in the settlements, but now she doesn't care who sees and even encourages others to dance with her. It's one of the few things that makes her genuinely happy. She also likes to mock the other companions and has come up with half-decent impersonations of them, especially Strong.

Codsworth: He likes to wash the hair of whoever will let him. In the age of the unclean and ragged he likes to make people look and feel better by having a clean scalp. Settlers and the occasional passersby will flock to him to get rid of their lice or knotted up mats. He gets joy from this because he feels useful. He's not qualified to style hair in the least (last time he tried, the barber in Diamond city got a lot of business) so he sticks to just washing hair. Sticking with the helpful theme, he also goes around after dark and makes sure everyone who's not patrolling has gone to bed and isn't wandering around lost in the night. Sometimes he'll find a straggler or two and he greets them and leads them to a free bed.

Curie: She likes to collect clothes and would love to have a closetful of unique outfits. There's something so special about being able to wear clothes that make her feel beautiful. Yellow is her favorite but it's so hard to find anything yellow that is clean. Also, she likes to share her outfits with the other companions and is just thrilled when Piper or Cait allow her dress them up. The guys will get involved too now and then, she had Preston dressed up as a baseball player at one point and the survivor got a kick out of that. She's not too interested in shoes, though, because as pretty as some of them are, they are horridly uncomfortable and have little purpose while she's out adventuring.

Danse: One of his favorite things to do is play cards with the other companions; they play on Thursday evenings and sometimes go late into the night. He's not divinely gifted at playing poker, he just enjoys bonding with the others. He likes to think he's got an unbreakable poker face but that's debatable. He also likes to grill and everyone seems to like it when he does. He's not much of a braggart, but the survivor brags enough for the both of them, they're just in love with his cooking skills. He didn't know he was capable of using a barbecue but once he started he was a natural. Thing is, he'll only prepare meals on poker night so everyone in the settlement looks forward to Thursdays whether they play cards with him or not, there's always enough food for everyone.

Deacon: He has a thing for juggling just about anything, providing the things are roughly the same weight and shape. From fusion cores to mole rat teeth, he's even tried mini nukes but had them taken away because it was potentially too dangerous. He can't remember when he picked up the talent, but he's been doing it forever. Also he likes to horde new costumes, since he's taken up with the survivor he's a handful of new costumes including triggerman and minuteman chic.

Dogmeat: He likes digging; for roots, bugs, old world clutter, but mostly bones. He loves a good thigh bone. He likes to sunbathe too, he'll lay belly up for hours before rolling over and letting his back warm.

Hancock: He's a pretty good storyteller, not in the way Deacon lies excessively, he just comes up with stories on the spot. Before he started traveling with the survivor he would tell stories to whoever would listen be it junkie or curious caravaner. Sometimes when one of the companions can't sleep they'll seek him out and have him tell them a story. He enjoys making his own chems that way he knows exactly what's in them and he's gotten good at it over the years. He and Mama Murphey will have long, drug-enhanced conversations about their methods on mixing chems and they get along swimmingly.

MacCready: He collects the miniature figurines that are sometimes found in Vault-tec lunch boxes. Sometimes he'll take time to paint them, but he sends them to Duncan whenever he gets the chance to stop by Trudy's. He also likes to make up his own songs when nothing's on the radio; he'll sing about the weather or how useful a prewar car might be while traveling or how they nearly got eaten by a yao guai. The survivor doesn't seem to mind his singing, and whenever the lyrics rhyme (they usually don't) it's particularly impressive.

Nick: He likes to read when it's not work-related, anything from Grognak to eyebot owner's manuals. It's all about learning something, anything that he didn't already know; he just likes to accumulate information. He got into a pretty intense comic book kick after the survivor dumped all the books he'd already read on him and that was a fun month and a half. He started making requests to caravans to bring him as many comics as they could find but this turned out to be fruitless as all they brought him were burnt illegible scraps of paper. In addition he likes to listen to the classical radio station, it's nice and calming and doesn't have any bothersome commercials. He only wishes that there was more variety.

Piper: A long time ago she had acquired an old trombone that she more or less taught herself to play and even though Nat thinks it's awful, Piper loves to play the damn thing. Residents around Diamond city are typically unfamiliar with the noise and are afraid of what it could be, but when she gets a good rhythm going the music isn't so bad. She likes to go fishing when she finds the time and the means. There aren't many fishing poles around, let alone safe places to fish; but the survivor and she go fishing sometimes and she likes the peacefulness of it.

Preston: He likes to go hunting by himself, occasionally he'll take Dogmeat, but the solitary silence is what drives him. Being able to bring back food for everyone at Sanctuary Hills is an added bonus, hell, he doesn't even have to actually kill anything; he just likes being alone sometimes. He also likes to smoke cigars, not often, but on rare chances he settles down for the evening, watches the world from a rooftop and enjoys a cigar, maybe even a small glass of whiskey.

Strong: He likes hording food, after being around his brothers for so long he's used to fighting over food so whenever he gets some he holds onto it and hides it away for later. Very rarely will he eat human food, but when he does he actually shares it; mostly with MacCready, maybe the survivor. He tries to make art but knows he's no good at it so hides it from the others. He does chalk drawings on the sides of houses or on the street but makes sure to destroy it when he's done. The survivor has seen a few things he's done but never commented on it because the one time he did Strong became withdrawn for nearly a month.

X6: As simple as it sounds he likes to whistle, he's really good at it too. He was never really given the feeling of freedom in the Institute enough to want to whistle, but now there was no stopping him. He would imitate birds or songs or just whistle absent-mindedly as he traveled. Sometimes he enjoyed playing catch with the survivor who had tried to teach him about baseball at one point but they got stuck on just tossing the ball back and forth to each other and X6 found this to be very fun. He never thought about fun before, but he liked to play catch with whoever would throw the ball at him, even if it meant playing fetch with Dogmeat.

What are they like drunk?

Cait: Over time she's managed to raise her tolerance to alcohol significantly but when she gets drunk everyone knows about it. She's loud and rowdy and is ready to box whoever she thinks she can take. Most of the time she fights with Danse because he doesn't take it personally if she gets him with a few good hits and he's able to subdue her if need be. On top of that she gets really funny, telling all sorts of jokes or stories from her past that don't involve the darker part of her life. At the height of her activity she'll all of the sudden slump over and fall asleep. The survivor normally carries her off to bed and will stay with her if things aren't too hectic.

Codsworth: He doesn't have the capacity to get drunk, but he's always tending after those that do. He makes sure everyone alternates between hard liquor and water or soda. When the survivor has had too much and starts to become ill, Codsworth sends them off to lie down and will check on them periodically. If Shaun is at the settlement with them he'll keep him preoccupied and away from the adults.

Curie: She gets the cutest hiccups you ever did hear and most folks just squeal at how adorable she is. She takes it all in; the dizziness, the slurring of words, and the overwhelming desire to pinch MacCready's cheeks. She doesn't exactly flirt, but she likes to touch people's faces and compliment them; things she wouldn't normally do with a clear head. She doesn't get sick and she doesn't black out because she never drinks more than she's able, but she does wake up the next morning with the worst hangovers.

Danse: He gets tired pretty quickly; he's also an incredible lightweight, about two and-a-half beers in and he's ready for a nap. Deacon gives him a hard time about it and will often pressure him into at least finishing the bottle before cutting out. Thing is he has the worst sleep after he's been drinking and demands that the romanced survivor sleep beside him that way he's got their comfort.

Deacon: He's seemingly a bottomless pit and Cait hates that he can drink her under the table. His trick? He dilutes the hell out of his drinks and ends up drinking more water than alcohol without anyone noticing. Eventually he'll get drunk and when he does get to that point he becomes serious and distant and just unpleasant to be around. It's at these points that he's blackout drunk because not only does he have no memory of it the next day, but he can't believe that he'd ever have that personality type.

Dogmeat: He isn't allowed to get drunk, but he does have fun playing with the humans when they drink, especially Preston.

Hancock: He is the cuddliest being on earth when he is drunk. Normally he will stick to chems but mob mentality is too fun to ignore at times and will start to drink with his newfound friends. It doesn't take much to get him drunk but he does manage to drink more than Danse. He'll play with the survivor's hair and laugh into their shoulder and sin in their lap and be happy just to have that physical contact. He doesn't flirt or try to get them in bed, he just wants to hang on them and love on them and be around them.

MacCready: He's a crier. Leave him to his own devices with a bottle of vodka and it's over. He's got his head down, just blubbering into his hands. The survivor feels bad for letting him drink alone or even at all and they're there to comfort him through his low. He doesn't say much, he just shivers and sobs and holds onto the survivor with his face in their chest. The next day he's quiet, he's exhausted from crying all night and he keeps to himself for the better part of the day.

Nick: He doesn't get drunk but he'll lavish in the euphoria of the others as they drink. Most of them are fun to be around and he enjoys their high energy. More often than not it's him comforting MacCready when he's had too much to drink and he's glad he could be there for him, even if MacCready forgets everything and still resents him in the morning. Other times he'll end up sitting with Deacon; just watching the crowd, wordlessly sharing a smoke.

Piper: She gets mean. First, though, she gets very giggly. Everything is funny and no topic is off limits; she'll share stories that aren't necessarily pleasant and then laugh about them. Moments later she's vicious and argumentative and leaves to be off by herself. If she's lucky the survivor will follower her out and take her to a safe place. If she's unlucky she'll run into Cait and gladly welcome a fight that she has no chance of winning and wake up the next day with a fat lip at minimum.

Preston: He's just a happy go lucky fellow and his mood is infectious. Whenever he's drinking with other companions there's a 70% chance their experience will be a positive one, no matter who it is. He dances around with everyone, including Dogmeat. He's all smiles and giggles and has a very good time listening to other's stories. He doesn't drink too much and doesn't necessarily get drunk, but he spreads this elation that just gives off the idea that he is drunk.

Strong: There's not enough alcohol in the settlement to go around to get Strong drunk. He's felt he tingle of a good buzz, but nothing really more than that. He likes to drink for whatever effect it has because spending time integrating into human culture is his idea of the milk he's been searching for. He doesn't have any kind of significant mood or personality changes, but he seems to have more levity about him.

X6: At first he was suspicious of the idea of wanting to be intoxicated because why would you want to do that to yourself; but now in the company of friends, he's all for it. He loosens up, laughs a lot, drinks quite a bit, even challenges Piper to a few drinking games. It's fun until she drinks too much and becomes unpleasant, so he turns his attention to someone else. He really comes out of his shell when he gets drunk and is very fun to be around, he sings along to the radio and plays games and has a good ol' time.

What is their best non-combat skill?

Cait: She's got this weird knack for milking brahmin. No one wants to do it because brahmin are widely seen as filthy but she doesn't care. She will get right down in the mud with them and return with a bucket full of milk and everyone loves her for it. Preston once talks to her about how she should consider starting a business but she doesn't want to be trapped in an enterprise where she can't travel with the survivor freely.

Codsworth: He's very skilled at pacifying upset settlers. If a fight breaks out due to jilted lovers or a bar brawl or someone wasn't paid enough by a merchant he steps in and calms the situation down like no one else can. His conflict resolution skills are unparalleled and no one is really sure how he does it. It's all about blinking lights and a calm voice, or so he says.

Curie: She is great at doing nails, cleaning them up and making them manageable is her forte for sure. Hers don't grow and they are tough and they don't break but they get dirty and she loathes having dirty nails. She finds some kind of satisfaction from cleaning her nails and will clean the nails of others too if they let her. She's been paid a few times by settlers even though she never asks for caps.

Danse: He's a great singer but very rarely sings loud enough to be heard. It's not something he pursues as a hobby, it's just something he's noticed that he's good at but is so self conscious that he stays quiet. On request with a difficult speech check, the romanced survivor can have him serenade them. They'll say he's better than Bing Crosby and he goes redder than a bloodbug's behind.

Deacon: He's got history with farming and is good at it. He's got a green thumb that no one can hold a candle to and he brags about it to anyone who will listen. He could "get a tato to grow in the glowing sea if he wanted". He could "get a tarberry to grow on land" even if he couldn't he might as well be telling half truths. He was very skilled, but so cocky about it that no one cared to have him farm with their settlement.

Dogmeat: He's good at finding things and putting them in a pile. He gets so proud of his pile the more it grows. He's got all sorts of things in his collection; bottle caps, corn, circuitry, radscorpion stingers and so on. Stuges loves the pile, he thinks it's great and always asks to look through it. Eventually Dogmeat starts a new pile at every settlement.

Hancock: He makes it a point to know where every place is. Need to get from Goodneighbor to the Boston Bugle? No problem. Not sure where the nearest clinic is? He'll point you in the right direction. He's so directionally prone that he can easily say that he's never been lost in his life. He's not even sure how he came to be so keen on locations but he says it's the chems that keep his mind open.

MacCready: He's very organized with everything. He keeps everything in order and sometimes he'll go through the survivor's inventory and clean it up a bit. All the dressers or shelves any settlement he's at long enough become organized by category. He gets almost impulsive when he's traveling with the survivor and they just throw things at random into their coat pockets or cram junk in with their grenades.

Nick: He's pretty handy with giving advice. He's the last one to listen to his own advice, but he has given much needed advice to most of the companions. He and X6 talk a lot, Nick listens mostly, but he's good at that too. X6 just wants the other companions to trust him, he's on their side now and that should mean something. Hancock is the other one who comes to ask advice frequently; if not ask advice, just spend time talking with him.

Piper: So long as she doesn't have to touch scissors, she's a boss at styling hair. Braiding, the tiny braids specifically, are her specialty. She used to do Nat's hair until Nat didn't need her to anymore. During that time though, Nat seldom had the same hair style two days in a row. Cait will let her style her hair when she's got nothing better to do and ends up feeling pretty good about it. Codsworth will often send settlers to her while she's in the area after he's washed their hair and she is delighted to what she wants to their scalp.

Preston: He makes sure everyone at Sanctuary stays fed, he's a decent cook and knows how to make everything appetizing. The settlers are all grateful to have food at the end of the day and their production around the settlement shows. He'll never say it out loud but cooking takes a lot out of him and it's very emotionally draining because it reminds him of home and how his family is all gone. These people are his family now, though, and he's happy to do what he can for them.

Strong: He's a climber; buildings, trees, mountains, mounds of enemies, you name it. He's quick to get the best possible vantage point and check an area out for the survivor. He looks like a gargoyle while he's sitting up in his post and he even does this in settlements. The survivor will intentionally build him a tower and he'll climb up there and stay there for days at a time.

X6: He's able to tell if people are lying to him or not. Just able to read people like a book; the way they speak, their body language, everything. It comes in handy during those Thursday night poker games. He may not always win, but he's able to gain the upper hand quickly. When he and the survivor are traveling together and someone tries to doop them, X6 is able to call them out on it.

How would they react to a bar brawl?

Cait: This is her element. No one wants to go toe to toe with her but if they start something they had better be ready for her to finish it. She may catch a few punches but she takes a hit and keeps going.

Codsworth: There is no brawl. He's quick to placate the situation and whoever wanted to fight him is either upset enough to leave, or apologizes and stays.

Curie: She's spooked, she doesn't want to have to fight anyone but once she hits someone hard enough to knock them out she gets exhilarated to stick around and try to knock everyone else out. She has to be dragged out by the survivor.

Danse: If he's drunk enough he just leaves before a fight can really get started. One, he has no energy to fight a bunch of drunken wastelanders; two, he doesn't want to accidentally kill anybody. If a fight breaks out before he's too far gone he might have fun with it, mostly redirecting punches and taking out legs.

Deacon: He gets a little too violent and is the one who turns a bar fight into a near execution. It takes three or four big guys to restrain him and throw him out. He's not intentionally trying to kill someone; he just has this severe dissociation and can't really control himself.

Dogmeat: He's with the survivor and does a lot of jumping around and growling. If the survivor takes a few hits too may, Dogmeat will chew on the attacker's ankles or try to bite at their arms or whatever he can get a hold of. However, he would love to not be in a bar fight

Hancock: He's quick to leave but not if someone is just asking to get their teeth knocked in. He won't stand for someone trying to make a fool of him and he will silence any who try. He's walked out of a few brawls without having to fight, but others he hasn't been so lucky. He's a fair fighter and though he would love to jam a knife into someone's ribs, he hits hard enough to knock someone down and that gives him enough time to leave.

MacCready: When he gets drunk he winds up in a very dark place and if someone picks a fight he has no problem destroying them. He will break bones, bust internal organs and will not stop swinging until he is faced out of the bar. It's not in his nature to do that with such little provocation but when he hits those lows there's no coming back from beating the snot out of a man.

Nick: He tries to break up the fights but he's not always heeded. If he's in Diamond city people know him and they generally listen to him and the fight disperses, anywhere else it's not likely. He tries to stay out of bars in general if he's not familiar with them.

Piper: She fights and doesn't care if she's in way over her head. She enjoys letting out all this pent up rage even if she does end up bruised and sore. She'll cackle and look legitimately pleased to be in the midst of an all out brawl.

Preston: He doesn't like to be in bars for this particular reason. He's never involved in the brawls but confrontation on a large scale like this makes in uneasy and he just wants everyone to calm down. If he's unsuccessful in getting people to disengage then he'll just leave, he doesn't need to be around that and he's not really willing to be in a fight himself.

Strong: he loves these things; he won't get himself involved because he knows he could easily smash any human, but he watches and laughs and just has a good time. If he's there with any of the companions, though he'll jump in and pull them out if they're not doing so hot or if they are doing well he'll cheer them on.

X6: Doesn't get involved with the fighting, he just continues to drink with whoever he's with (he doesn't go alone) and lets everyone else fight around him.

How would they react to someone insulting the SS?

Cait: She doesn't get involved at first, just inwardly readies herself for an argument. The survivor can handle themselves in a verbal dispute so she lets them say what they're going to say. However if the insulting continues she starts to make threats.

Codsworth: He's the first one two speak out between the two of them; correcting them of their horrible misunderstanding of his longtime comrade. He insists that the survivor needn't be involved with someone so crass to insult them.

Curie: she gets flustered and almost immediately insults them back, but not very well. Her insults are very unorthodox; calling them things like a toxic old mutfruit. She's trying to be serious and backup the survivor but she ends up just making everyone involved laugh.

Danse: Glares into their very soul and makes them regret everything they've just said. The survivor doesn't understand their apologizing directly after they've insulted them, but then he realizes that Danse is behind them just shooting lasers from his eyes.

Deacon: Insults them back, relentlessly picking them apart from their height to their clothing and is ruthless. They don't apologize but they are clearly defeated; the survivor waits until Deacon is done beore they can carry on their conversation again.

Dogmeat: Growls, baring his teeth, forcing the offender to put his hands out and back up, saying sorry over and over until the survivor assures Dogmeat that they're okay.

Hancock: Flashes his weapon at them, he doesn't intend to injure them, but if it causes a fight then that's fine too- at least their intentions are made clear. The survivor actually doesn't like that he does this but they're not about to tell him to back off with the weapon brandishing, especially since it's been pretty effective to date.

MacCready: He'll click his tongue and shake his head, just cannot believe someone would outright insult the survivor like they don't know who they are and what they've done for the Commonwealth. He'll say 'wow' and hang back, ready to fight if it comes to that but just could not be more disappointed in the insulter.

Nick: He'll find a witty comeback rather than an insult that ends up damaging their ego. He's good with words so the offender stands there stunned for a minute and will either admit to being a jackass or get angry and a fight will break out. Either way Nick wins.

Piper: She goes off, shouting about how they don't even know what they're in for or they've just made a huge mistake or 'do you even know who this is?" the survivor will sigh heavily and try to shush her but more often than not it's an unsuccessful attempt and she'll just go on and on until the other person gets bored or intrigued but she wants them to apologize in the end.

Preston: Clears his throat and looks from the survivor to the insulter and he wants so badly to get involved but wants to see how the survivor will handle it. His silence is second only to his immediate gasp.

Strong: Laughs but then gets mad and tries to insult them back with the same response just emphasized on different words, (ex. If they say "you're the worst," Strong will say "YOU the worst") and then laugh loudly as if he made a good point.

X6: The survivor can tell he's ready to crush the insulter's windpipe so they have to physically put their arm out across his chest. X6 doesn't like for anyone to talk badly about the survivor and he's willing and able to silence them permanently for it.

How do they practice with their weapons, or maintain them?

Cait: Typically she considers herself to be her best weapon, but she does take a liking to Grognak's axe once the survivor gifts it to her. When she's not swinging it into the ribcage of some unlucky raider she cleans it up so that blood doesn't corrode the metal. It's always close by just in case she needs to use it, but if she's not in battle she doesn't really pay it any mind. She doesn't think she needs to practice, although building her upper arm strength couldn't hurt

Codsworth: He's happy with his flamer attachment and this is all fine and good until he see's Curie's original model with a laser attachment and it's all over from there. He wants one but he knows that's just not how he was made. He wouldn't call it envy, though that's exactly what it is and he badgers Sturges every now and then to fix him up with a new weapon, hoping that someday he'll say it's possible. Until that time, though, he likes not having to use his weapon at all, mostly because igniting it at all is a huge safety hazard.

Curie: She likes big weapons, particularly an incendiary minigun that she has become quite fond of; she's given it many names but none have really stuck but she continues to go through some sort of list. She doesn't like to waste ammo for practicing, but she carries it around with her at all times so maintain her strength and ability to carry it.

Danse: After his first mission with the survivor he gave them Righteous Authority, but after a long time traveling together they gave it back to him, but fully modified and man, this thing was great. It must have done nearly triple the amount of damage and the scope was better and he loves it. He's adamant about keeping it clean and in good condition. Laser weapons don't jam, but the repetitive use of energy projectiles does give it wear and tear and he's thorough with keeping it working.

Deacon: He's handy with rifles, nothing special, and won't let the survivor mod them for him. If it takes more bullets to take an enemy down so be it- but it's really all about the fact that he wants to show that it's not the gun that matters but the shooter, in this case him; he matters. There's not many blank rounds to be found in the commonwealth, fortunately .38 rounds are not scarce and he's able to practice whenever he likes with piper rifles.

Dogmeat: He tries to keep his teeth from grinding down too much, with the readily available soft foods around it's not very difficult. It's his claws that bother him, they sometimes get to long and he has to scrape them on concrete to file them down.

Hancock: He doesn't use his knife unless it's personal and he tries to keep things on a less than personal level when it comes to basic enemies. For them, he uses a shotgun; there's nothing out there that can take more than a few slugs to the face. He doesn't have a gun that he favors enough to really take care of he just finds them as he and the survivor travel.

MacCready: He's had the same sniper rifle for years now and somehow it hasn't fallen apart. He takes decent care of it, makes sure to clean it once every other month or so, mostly the survivor will take it from him and fix it up if the trigger becomes loose or the stock splits or the scope gets full of grime. He practices with it often, but not so much to practice; he knows he's a good shot, it's usually because he'd bored.

Nick: He's got a .38 special that he's had since before he took up with the survivor, but after a lot of fussing over how ineffective it was, despite the widely accessible amount of ammunition, he started carrying a .44 revolver and things have improved. There's a lot less ammo around so he doesn't practice with it, but he keeps it clean and even cleans it for fun.

Piper: She's been given weapons from the survivor since they started traveling, but she still feels the most comfortable with her trusty 10mm. It doesn't require a whole lot of maintenance and she's pretty accurate with it. The only mod she allowed the survivor to make was to allow it hold more ammo.

Preston: He carries around his laser musket with pride. He does regular practicing with it and cleans it often too. He's got it fully modified and pleased that he was actually able to do it himself. His second favorite weapon is the broadsider and while he's only ever used it once, he loves it.

Strong: He uses all sorts of weapons but automatic and semiautomatic are his favorites. He doesn't have to be accurate, he just has to kill as much as he can, as fast as he can, and it's fun. Other weapons are too slow and boring. He'd love a gatling laser or a minigun, but finds them too bulky in most situations. He does not take care of his weapons even a little; no repairs, no mods, nothing. Hell he even picks his teeth with the barrels of his guns.

X6: He likes stealth weapons; anything with a suppressor is his main squeeze. Inversely, he likes explosives and will throw as many grenades as he's handed. He'd love a fatman but honestly he's so impulsive that he'd probably end up blowing up the survivor and himself. He takes care of his weapons; they stay clean and in good shape. He enjoys practicing with them, he sets up his own target field and just spends hours shooting at crates or mannequins.


	18. Home again

A little pretext here; I had gotten this request to have the ROMANCED companions react to the ss wanting to make their hose livable again and it being very hard for them. Well Alright, I thought, let me just bawl my eyes out. So I did. And now you can too.

The beginning of that day went on as it usually did, she had killed three or four people before noon and it felt normal. She rummaged through their corpses for caps or ammo, maybe unique trinkets if she could find them and this felt normal. She had jabbed a needle through her chest twice during a fire fight and that was normal. Everything had become so commonplace from killing to doing drugs just to stay alive. Yet the moment she set foot in that old empty house her skin crawled. The once well-lit room with perfect carpet and furniture sat in disarray. The walls once yellow had grayed, the wall paper peeling off in curled shavings. The curtains that she had picked out for the fall palate of decorations had singed and faded away into nothingness, the rail hung over the window uselessly.

She took a few more steps into her home, she had avoided it until just now. She built entire settlements from the ground to evade coming back to this place. Dust wafted from the ground, catching in the light like glitter. She lifted her hand as if to reach for something that was there hundreds of years ago but she rested it in an empty spot on the bookshelf beside her. She became frantic as the object she searched for wasn't where she knew it to be. She threw the cushions from the couch, flipping it over in short desperation. She tore through the old holotape player that lay in ruins and heard the heavy clunk of glass on the floor and she collapsed to her knees. The glass-encased flag Nate had gotten from his time in the military was pressed against her chest and she wept.

Cait:

She walks in to see Nora hunched over in front of an overturned couch and he presses her tongue into her cheek and crosses her arms. "Are you okay?" It's not until Nora looks up to her that she notices that she's been crying and Cait walks over to her. "This was my home, Cait. It was beautiful once." Nora stands up, still holding the flag to her chest and leans into Cait, drying her face on her shoulder. Cait doesn't know what to do so she just holds Nora, but it's brief. Seconds later she was floored with the sudden determination to make this house a home once again. Nora shoots across the room, setting the flag on the counter and wiping dust away from the oven's interface. Cait watched from the doorway, she had never seen Nora so frenzied and she felt worry bubbling up inside. Nora searched through the cupboards looking for something, she started throwing things out into the kitchen, pots, lids, heaps of fused plastic and unrecognizable tins.

"Where the fuck is the flour?" she shouted, her voice cracking as sadness gathered in the back of her throat. Cait made her way over to Nora and sunk down beside her and took her arms. Nora's eyes were wide and she was panting, panic was building under her skin and Cait pulled her to her feet away from the kitchen and out of the house where they stood in the street. Nora was shaking, crying without realizing it, teeth grinding together. "Nora listen, things are different now. I know you miss the old days before all of this shite but look around, this is as good as it gets." Nora suddenly gets sick and vomits on the ground, submitting to the panic attack, and Cait holds her hair and rubs her back. "This place is hell, I know it, but you're not alone. If I've learned anything from you it's that we've got each other's back." They step a ways away from the mess and sit on a bench across the street, Nora wipes her mouth with the back of her hand and slumps forward. Cait watches the sky turn pink and she rubs Nora's back in a consistent circle as she cries onto her lap. She had never been the one to take care of Nora, it was always the other way around and this felt strange and she hoped she was doing a good job. After about an hour Nora regained her composure; her breathing was normal, she hadn't shaken in a few minutes, she stopped crying a while back. Finally she sat up and turned to Cait, she looked at her with narrow eyes and waited for Nora to say something. "Thank you" she said in more of a whisper, her throat sore from the stomach acid. It was really something to see Nora so grateful for something she had done, she felt good about them as a couple; everything would be okay as long as they had each other.

MacCready:

Despite her telling him to get out while she works on the house, he's right there beside her helping her every step of the way. When he saw her slumped over on the floor crying her eyes out over a flag he knew he had to do what he could. They had been working on it for over a week and all the while he was happy to help. She on the other hand felt bad that he felt like he had to help, she didn't want to force him into it but he insisted. He was hammering the doorway together when her heard her laughing in the other room and he stopped to listen. "I never figured you for a handyman, Mac" he shrugged and smiled, pulling the nail from his mouth so he could speak. "Are you kidding me? I can build anything from a toy car to a tree house. Just call me handy Mac" She swore from the back of the house and cackled. "Whatever you say, handy Mac" he smiled as he pounded the last nail into the frame. He tried to think of how long it might have taken her to get this much done on her own and shook his head, _probably another week_.

"Why did you decide to stick around and help anyway? You've seen me put together an entire settlement" her voice got closer as she appeared several feet behind him with a saw and a bucket of paint. He gave the doorway a good knock with his fist to make sure it was properly in place then turned to face her, "you know you need me." He winked and walked to the kitchen to set the hammer on the island "almost as much as I need you. And right now, I need you to be happy. If getting this house up and running is what does the trick, I'll build you a house." She smiled wider than she had all day and her cheeks burned. He knew what this house meant to her, what it represented; a family, a life, a happier time in the world. He kissed her jaw and passed her to go to the front yard, she waited, watching, perplexed. "What are you doing?" she called after him and was only met with grunts and the sound of something dragging.

"I think it's time we start breaking in the place" he said finally and pushed a mattress into the living room, it crashed to the floor in a cloud of dust. She smirked at it and switched her gaze to him once he reappeared in the room. "Besides we've been working hard, I think we deserve a good night's sleep, I'm tired of sleeping bags. "Uh huh" she said, unclipping her tool belt and letting it fall to the ground in a heavy thud, "I'm sure a good night's sleep is exactly what you planned when you brought this in here." He blushed and shrugged again, "I don't know, I mean you look pretty tired, maybe you should lay down." She laughed, after the week they'd been having a good sleep was just what they needed, he knew her so well. After some convincing they both went to bed, before they could do anything to frisky both of them passed out, tiredness took over quickly.

Danse:

The place doesn't look like much once he finally catches up to see where she's gone. However once he sees her trying to sweep the thick layer of dust and grime out the front door he sees that she's got a connection to it. She spends a good amount of time sweeping, but she doesn't seem to get anywhere. She was getting gradually more frustrated with each passing minute; she had given up trying to sweep and moved to dusting over every surface, but once the dust settled it looked like she hadn't done much to begin with. "If it's a clean place you want, you know the Prydwen is probably the hygienic in the Commonwealth" his words didn't affect her and she just wiped the counter harder. He hadn't seen this behavior before, he knew she was a determined woman but this perfectionist approach at cleaning a forever dirty house was different and it bothered him. He watched her scrub the stovetop violently, the steel wasn't shining but she had gotten the top layer of gunk cleaned from it.

He reached over and took her shoulder in his hand, "Nora, please, just stop for a minute" he urged but she shook him off and left down the hall. He followed and watched her try to clean the bathroom sink. She was heating up and he could physically feel the warmth radiating from her from a foot away. She was sweating and her face was red, the veins that stretched over her forehead became defined under her skin. He couldn't let her do this to herself anymore, he put her in a bear hug, trapping her arms at her side and she threw a fit. She thrashed her body and kicked her legs and he just stood there, holding her, letting her get it all out of her system. She was yelling through clenched teeth, no words just screaming. Soon, though, she started crying and stopped shaking herself around, she just hung there a foot off the ground and hung her head as her body relaxed. He loosened his grip on her and lowered her to the ground but held her against himself.

"Nora, talk to me, what is this about?" She hits him in the shoulder with her head over and over again trying to get herself to stop crying before she started talking but it was no use. "This was my house, Danse, I just wanted it to be a home again" she sobbed, "it was such a good home." He understood right away and suddenly her actions made sense, he felt sorry for her and squeezed her a little tighter. She returned the hug and settled down a bit, muffled breaths heating his chest. "You don't need a house, Nora. You've got plenty of houses. Dig deep, what's this really about?" Nora pushed herself from him and screwed up her face trying to concentrate. "I just miss having a life where I don't have to kill people to stay alive. I miss having a green lawn and a family. I miss the life I had but…" She met his eyes; he was nothing if not a good listener, he kept a stern face but he was taking it all in. She sighed and turned from him, "but I'm happy with you. You mean more to me than this place ever will, or ever did." Wordlessly he came up behind her and kissed the top of her head before resting his chin on it. "Let's go, Nora" he said and she followed him from the house; she never went back.

Hancock:

He drops in to see the progress she's made in the past three hours and it's not looking so good. She's sitting on the floor in the master bedroom, starting straight across to the other side of the room where the wall had been blasted off. Her arms rested straight out over her knees and she had something in her hands, a book? He sat beside her in the empty room, she was quiet; frustrated and discouraged and quiet. He took the object from her hands, his heart sank when he saw that is was a baby book. She sighed and her breath shook and she put her head on his shoulder. "It's not just a house, John, don't you see?" He knew what she meant now; at the end of the day in the last few minutes of daylight he closed his eyes and imagined what the room must have looked like in its glory days. A bed in the corner, light walls, a dresser or two. When he opened his eyes he scowled, he understood her coldness; there was nothing here.

"Nora, listen, I think we should get out of this place. It's not going to do you any good staring at these walls" she listened but didn't respond. She had spent the better part of the day trying to get the wall back up, she had even tried building a new wall in its place but she wasn't cut out for that kind of work. She knew how to do plenty of things but building a wall from scratch was something she'd never done. Her knuckles were raw from punching the wall in anger, she had hammered her thumb dozens of times, plaster and concrete littered her hair and clothes. Hancock felt a tug in his chest, he wished she would have let him help her, she was always so stubborn. He set down the book and held her hand in both of his and held it against his lips. "You have a new home anyway, with me. We don't have to be in Goodneighbor, we can live wherever you want, I'm all yours." She had chills; she hadn't thought about it like that, she always thought she'd just end up back here in Sanctuary, things going back to normal.

"You're right," she said humming and he felt her cuddle against him. She had never seemed so small before and he could sense her vulnerability. She was broken and she wasn't showing it, he had been there before and sympathized with her. "Do you need anything?" he asked and she stood up slowly, he stayed sitting. "No, no I'm fine. Let's go. I've been here long enough" she helped him stand up and he led her out of the room. He noticed that as he held her hand there was some resistance on her end, she was taking in the last few glimpses of her old life. They didn't know where they were going when they left the small settlement, but he knew he'd follow her to the ends of the world if that's what she wanted.

Curie:

Nora is in the middle of feeding copper wire through the house from the generator outside but it's definitely something she's struggling with. Curie leans against the wall, smiling up at Nora who hasn't noticed just yet that she's there because she's up on a ladder and focusing on connecting circuitry to a switch board. Suddenly there's a spark and Nora shrieks and pulls her hands back so quick she stumbles off of the ladder and lands hard on her side. She starts shouting angrily in pain and frustration and Curie scrambles over to her to assess the damage. "Nora, are you okay?" she asks, looking at Nora's wrists which are pink and starting to swell. Nora doesn't answer her, she just rolls slowly from side to side groaning; she can still feel the electric current still working through her arms long after it's already gone. "Maybe you should have monsieur Sturges handle this?" Curie muttered while rubbing her arms with her thumbs. Nora shook her head, "no! It's my house, I've got to make it perfect again" she hopped up with all the intensity of a headstrong electrician and climbed back up the ladder to Curie's disagreeing coos.

As Nora fumbles with the wire and pliers Curie looked around at the house; there was a kitchen and a hallway with rooms and sitting area with an old radio, it didn't look like much. Then it hit her, Nora had said it was _her_ house. "Do you mean you lived here before the war?" Curie asked, setting her hand over her chest and peering up at Nora, her other hand steadied the ladder. "Nora twisted the ends of the wires together and the switch was successfully anchored. Smiling with pride she climbed down the ladder and nodded at Curie. "Before this place looked like the god awful wreck it is now, it was home. I want this to be home for us, Curie." And while Curie was filled with delight at her words, she really wished Nora wouldn't take this upon herself, "I really must insist that you have someone help you, this is dangerous, Nora." Nora shook her hand at Curie as she put the ladder in a different spot, closer to the middle of the living room and climbed back up this time armed with a simple light bulb and her tool belt. This task was trickier and Curie watched with growing anxiety as Nora continues to mess up and curse over and over until she intentionally throws the bulb to the ground and it shatters, Curie gasps.

Nora jumps from the ladder and crosses her arms, she's very discouraged, this place will never be what it was. She closes her eyes tight, trying to remember all the little details that made it home; was it the perfect lighting? Was it the washer and drier? She felt Curie's arms around her and a kiss on her cheek, her eyes shot open. "Curie, it's you" she said, laughing and Curie blinked at her, waiting for her to elaborate more. "You're home to me. It's not this stupid house, it's you." Curie felt herself blush; this was possibly the most romantic thing Nora had ever said to her. Nora unfolded her arms and put her hands up on Curie's shoulders, pulling her into a kiss that lasted longer than she intended it to because she really needed the affection. "Let's get out of here" Nora said, there were other houses that she had built in Sanctuary that she'd rather they stay in.

Piper:

She wants to help but she's not entirely useful; she has no idea what she's doing but she's there for moral support. Nora's half way under the kitchen sink tinkering with pipes and every other word is a curse and Piper just sits a few feet off trying not to get in the way. "God dammit! I just had that wrench, Piper, hand me the 11/16,that might be it." Piper dug through the toolbox in front of her and looked for the right size but looked up nervously, it wasn't in the box. Looking around she saw it sitting just inches from Nora's thigh. Piper crawled over to her and handed her the wrench, watching as she tried to tighten a bolt. "You need some more light?" Piper asked, reaching for the discarded pipboy on the linoleum floor and switching the light on. "Shit, much better" Nora sighed and groaned, tightening another bolt until it nearly stripped. Piper blushed, she really enjoyed being as useful as possible. Nora never once asked her for to do more than she was capable of but she was glad to do what she could, though it was mostly handing her tools and trying to be her comic relief.

"Do you realize how- urgh- nice having a shower sounds -urgh- right now?" Nora had finished with the sink and pulled herself out from under it and rested on the floor next to Piper for a minute. She was light headed after having to work on her back for so long and she needed a minute. Piper opened a box of snack cakes and handed one to Nora before shoving one in her own mouth. They ate in contemplative silence, Nora finding Piper's hand and giving it a squeeze. "So this was your place before the vault huh? Seems nice, clearly it's sturdy" she said, finishing the cake and Nora nodded. "Let's see if this sink works, huh?" Nora stood up and put her hands on the edge of the sink, taking a deep breath before activating the faucet. There were clanking sounds and Nora's mouth twitched; more sounds, more twitching, her knuckles were white from squeezing the sink. There was a high pitched squeal that came from the faucet, as if pressure were building up. The water generator had to work, she spent three days on working out the kinks and another day getting the sink prepped. "Come on, you son of a bitch, GO!" Nora was getting amped up and Piper was watching the faucet with anticipation, _any minute now_ , she kept thinking.

Suddenly a thin stream of water trickled from the sink and Nora tensed up. Piper put her hand on her shoulder and opened her mouth but Nora started shouting, "that's what I'm talking about! Fuck yeah!" It didn't look like much, but Piper had to admit she hadn't seen an actual sink function in years. "Do you see this Piper? One step closer to normal" she pulled Piper in for a tight hug and a hard kiss and Piper was not about to disappoint. Once she pulled back, Nora shut off the water and smiled wider than she had in a while. She was so dead set on restoring the house and this was a big step for both of them. "Just you wait, Piper, we're gonna make this place a home. Once you see it up and running like it used to be, it'll be great." Piper didn't want to rain on Nora's parade but she didn't need the house, the house was just a place nice though it may be. However, she believed Nora, they would be a family there, them and Nat. Piper was happy, despite all the energy this had taken out of Nora, it would be worth it in the end.

Preston:

When he sees her crying that day he drops everything to make her feel better. She tries to tell him the significance of the house but he already knows; he's seen the way she looks at it whenever she passes by. From that moment he does everything he can to help. He puts the minutemen on hold; he hangs up his hat and coat and picks up whatever he can to assist Nora. She can't even tell him not to, he won't hear it. She always been there for him since Concord, she deserves the moon as far as he's concerned. He does everything to the best of his ability and actually enjoys himself. She's very grateful, she was ready to take on the project by herself but with his help they are breezing right along. With the help of the other Quincy refugees the house looks like it did over 200 years ago in just over a month. Nora cried when it was finished and wouldn't tear herself away from Preston.

It was actually a surprise for her, she had been away with the BoS when the setters hurried to finish the house. They had to search around for a lot of extra scrap to come up with enough to make everything perfect. Preston made a good leader in the production, he was able to get everyone to do something they were good at, some minutemen from nearby settlements even joined in the cause. Preston could not have been more proud of everyone who stepped up to help. All these people were thankful that the general had brought them together in a safe place where they could live happily and they were positive that she deserved the same. When the house was finished it was incredible; the lighting was perfect, the electricity ran through everything in the house, the plumbing even worked every other time. Preston was confident that she'd love it so when the time came where he heard she'd be coming back he was so excited to show her every little detail that they had worked on since she'd been gone. The moment she got back to Sanctuary she knew something was up, it felt eerily quiet like they had been hit and everyone died. She rushed over to the house in a panic only to see Mama Murphey had moved her chair to the front yard and was resting in it with the sleepiest look on her face. "Hey kid, good to see you back" she said, nodding subconsciously. Nora walked inside suspiciously and her jaw practically hit the floor.

Her hands covered her gaping mouth and her eyes watered. Preston walked into the room from the hallway and smiled at her and she shook her head at him in disbelief. His smile was overwhelming and tears began to streak down her face leaving a trail of dirt that was being wet. He held her and she cried into his shoulder, "welcome home" he said and she audibly sobbed. The settlers and minutemen watched from the yards and there was not a dry eye between them. She needed this more than she realized. After her initial excitement he showed her around the house and pointed out everything they had accomplished as a community. She had never expected anything like this, it felt like a dream only better. Finally she sat down on the bed and cried into her hands, "do you like it?" he asked, not even worried about what her answer might be. She looked up, face shiny from the sheen of tears, "I love it. I love it and I love you, thank you for all of this" she said, pulling him down into a kiss. There was nothing more she needed in life so long as she had him and they were happy.


	19. Round two of requests

Round two of requests

React to small sole fighting a bigger person?

Cait: She's ready to intervene when she sees them bumping chests with a much taller bad guy up on their tippy toes. They throw down their hat, roll up their sleeves and flick their cigarette across the room. She's about to get involved until Sole starts swinging and she's pretty impressed. They punch them in the gut, hit them over the head with a chair and drive a knife into the palm of their hand, "I'll be taking those caps now, asshole" they say, rubbing their knuckles and waiting for the other to hand over the sack of caps. As they leave the bar she admits to them that she's never seen such a sight in her life and she'd pay good money to see them in action at the Combat Zone.

Curie: She's right about five inches taller than Sole and she's not really not comfortable with fighting their fights for them, but she feels like she might have to on this one. That is until they lunge at them, this towering brutish drifter, and knock them on their ass. They punch them in the face over and over until Curie actually pulls them off before they kill the now very bloody drifter. "I didn't think you'd be able to pull that off!" she said, sounding less impressed than she really was but that was because she was also worried for them.

Danse: He's watching carefully, ready to spring into action if need be. They'd been negotiating with this merchant for too long and he could tell either one of them was about to react; he was surprised when it turned out to be Sole. Something about being small allowed them to jump like some kind of flea because in a little under two seconds they had jumped up, swung into the merchant's stall and kicked them in the chest with all the force of a pissed off mule. He smirked as he watched them stand over them and verbally tear them apart. They knew that if they hurt a civilian too badly Danse would be upset so they just knocked him down instead and cursed at them before turning on their heel and leaving. "We're done here, Danse, come on" he'll have to remember their hand to hand combat next time he's without a weapon.

Deacon: He's so jazzed when he sees Sole take a raider to the ground with nothing but their bare hands. He thinks about just shooting the poor bastard but watching Sole brawl is an experience. They had been using a gun originally but it jammed and then delivered the most perfect stone cold stunner he had ever seen, followed by a few good kicks to the face. Once Sole took a few steps back, out of breath, Deacon shot the raider for good measure, "no, no, you got him, I was just making sure." He was sure no one would believe him, but that was definitely the coolest thing he had ever seen.

Hancock: He wants to pull them away from the settler who had just called him a freak, but what was justice without a little punishment? It started with Sole spitting at them and them punching them hard in the sternum; enough for them to fold over, then they uppercut them. He put his hand on their shoulder as they were about to drive their knee into the settler's cheek. "I think they get the point" he says and he pulls them away. Part of him didn't want to stop them though; he wanted to see what they were capable of, but only on someone who really had it coming.

MacCready: He doesn't stop them; in fact he damn near joins them as they deliver punch after punch on his former gunner comrades. Sole had grabbed a bottle and shattered it against the gunner's jaw which had brought him down to one knee. Sole grabbed his hair close to the scalp and brought their knee up into his nose, an audible crack echoed in MacCready's ears. "Alright, come on, you killed him" he said, trying to keep his cool, but he had never been so afraid and turned on his life. "You don't fu…mess around do you?" he buys a round for them next time they're in town.

Nick: He tries to get them to stop after the first good hit that knocks the drunkard back. A very intoxicated drifter had threatened Nick because he was a synth and Sole was not about to allow that kind of behavior. They had taken the back of their head in both of their hands and slammed it hard into the counter at the bar causing them to lean back, pulled the stool out from under them sending them to the ground, and broke it over their chest. "Not here, kid, leave 'em" Nick urged, pulling Sole by both arms out of the bar. He was glad they'd be willing to spend the night in lockup over him, but that didn't mean they had to, even if their skills were impressive.

Piper: It's one hell of a show watching such a small person take out a much larger bully, she almost felt bad, but this creep deserved it for not leaving her alone. Sole had come out of nowhere to save day; they had a running start when they jumped through the air and punched the guy right in the throat hard enough to drop him. "This guy giving you a hard time" they asked and Piper grinned, "yeah something like that" she said and they turned their attention back to the slumped over assailant. He was gasping for air and Sole punched him on the side of the head real hard, knocking him out. Piper was impressed to say the least, no one had stood up for her like this before and she felt like Sole really was a hero.

Preston: He's not sure how it started or who started it but there's a loud argument going on in the middle of Sanctuary and he goes to investigate as quickly as he can. He's not surprised to see the town asshole picking on Sole. However he is alarmed to see them puffing up and jamming their finger into the other's chest. He's too late to step in when the bigger of the two swings wildly at Sole but they dodge the punch and somehow, he can't see from his angle, breaks their arm and is about to break their wrist when they get jerk on the ground face down. "General, please, this is not the time" he says, finally getting over to the two and Sole releases their grip on the other's wrist leaving them a sniveling mess, "someone had to put em' in their place, Preston." He's horrified that they'd fly off the handle so quick, but he's astonished with their fighting skills.

Strong: He is helping them train, and he figures it'll be funny to watch them struggle with his size since they are bout half his size. That being said he's absolutely startled when they put him in a sleeper hold after several mostly useless jabs to the gut. His neck is too thick for them to choke out so they spin around and try to suplex him but there's no way they can do it, he's too big. He laughs and throws them off, he's pretty amused when they shrug it off and run back at him. They are able to go another couple rounds with him before giving in, "yeah well I'm not gonna box a super mutant anyway" they say, huffing. He thought they did a good job despite not doing much damage against him. "Puny human Strong, but Strong stronger. Next time" he says and he bends down to pat them on the head before walking off.

X6: He watches in silent excitement, he's never watched someone go hand to hand with such a height difference. He actually watches Sole training with Strong and he resists the urge to shout encouragements after every time Strong tosses them. After Strong leaves he comes over to sit down beside them with such an out of place grin. "I thought you did great" he says, slamming a positive hand against their back and they can't help but chuckle seeing him so proud of them. "You should see the other guy" they say as they notice that he's paying attention to their swollen brow. He laughs but checks out the wound, it looks pretty bad but not fatal so he leaves it be. Watching them fight quickly becomes one of his favorite pastimes.

Reacting to getting a hug?

Cait: When she tells them about her drug problem a hug is honestly the last thing she expected. They just hold her close and firm and she just kind of sighs to prevent herself from crying a lot. The survivor mistakes it for irritation and they start to let go but she pats them lightly to let them know she appreciates it.

Curie: Immediately after she gets her new body she's the one to hug the survivor but then she feels like maybe she over stepped her boundaries and shies away but they pick her up and spin her around, they are just as thrilled as she is that she's able to hug now and this, being hugged back, is magical for her.

Danse: Once he finds out he can never be with the BoS again they hug him. It's a long mostly one-sided hug and he just lets them hug him. He knows it's a gesture meant for him but his heart isn't in it, he just wants to hide away, he lets them hug him because it makes them feel better.

Deacon: After he tells them about his old life on the farm they hug him and for a second he is confused. They don't care if he's lying or not, no one should suffer that alone and he realizes right then that he's important to them. He hugs back, this is nice, he's happy.

Hancock: It's when he's talking about his life in Goodneighbor before becoming mayor that they pull him in for a hug. He's not sure about it, he knows it feels good, but he doesn't know why they're hugging him right now. Is it sympathy or do they really mean it? He has to put aside his thoughts and hug them back, sometimes he thinks too much, but this shouldn't be one of those times.\

MacCready: He's so ready to hug them back after they find the medicine for Duncan, they've just saved his boy's life and he owes them everything. He cries a little, but happy they're tears. It's a long hug, longer than the survivor intended, but they're not about to deny him their embrace for a while longer.

Nick: When they visit the spot where Jenny was killed he tries to play it off like it's not a big deal but he's suffering. The survivor wraps him up in a hug and he hugs back to be polite, but he's not all the way there. He's in his head, thinking about how they are way too nice, how he doesn't deserve a friend like them, how they've gone and made him emotional and now he's a mess. If tears were an option they'd be happening; though it's a brief hug he feels it hours later.

Piper: the survivor group hugs her and Nat after she tells them about her dad and what they've both been through since. She chokes back tears but it's not effective, she cries and Nat tears up too because her sister is crying. It's a pretty emotional affair and Piper is just really grateful to have a friend like them who she can tell everything to without them running off and leaving her behind.

Preston: He gets a hug from them early on in their friendship once they arrive at Sanctuary for the first time and he opens up about Quincy. He's not expecting that from just anyone in the Commonwealth and he's definitely surprised. After all he's been through the hug feels warm like a welcome home, he knows this is the beginning of a long, meaningful friendship.

Strong: After he tells them how he respects them he's not expecting a hug. He grimaces as they put their arms around as much of him as they can. This is annoying, but he acknowledges the sentiment as human kindness so he allows it.

X6: After they tell him how the Institute is no more they know he'll be upset about it so they hug him as a sort of consolation. He stands there trying to comprehend everything they've said and yeah, he's pretty upset, but this feeling, the human contact, it something special. He puts his arm around them and it feels even better. Another arm, fucking wonderful. He asks for hugs often after that, whenever he feels like he could be doing better they hug him and he's back to 100% efficiency in no time.

Reacting to the survivor being a synth?

You know, I was sure something like that was going to come up in game, so let's do this!

Cait: very nervous at first, in fact she insists on taking some time for herself until she can figure things out. She knows that they couldn't have known, but what if they did know?

Curie: She's actually relieved; she admits that there were times she'd worry about how short their lifespan was compared to hers. Now she's happy as can be.

Danse: Not as appalled as he might have been before he met them, but still cautious. His hatred for the Institute only grows from this; he feels bad that they had to go through finding out like he did and wished that they never found out, at least that way maybe they wouldn't feel like an outsider.

Hancock: Mostly he's not fazed by this, except for a few hours he's painfully cautious. He's scared they were replaced except if they had been, why would they tell him that they were a synth? He argues with himself like this for a while until he convinces himself that everything is going to be okay and that they are the same person that he fell in love with.

MacCready: Things aren't the same for a long time, the survivor tries to grit and bear it but it destroys them and their relationship takes a huge toll. After over a month, he finally talks to them about it, how it made him feel and how he knew he was wrong for treating them badly, he was just afraid.

Piper: She doesn't love them any less, if anything she's very curious about everything. They're close enough in her book for her to ask all kinds of personal without them getting wierded out or offended like Nick or Curie might.

Preston: Things go on as if they never found out. He brings it up on occasion, just to make sure they're alright. They're as happy as they ever were together, this literally changes nothing.

How they react to being seduced:

Cait: It takes some effort to seduce her,;typically she skips the seduction part. They're traveling through an old city; most of the doors were boarded up, roofs blasted off, holes blown into walls. It was quick, and Cait didn't see it coming, but the survivor pulled her hard at the wrist and brought her up against them. She gasped and scowled but didn't have time to complain because their lips were on hers in a flash. She can't help but feel suspicious but then her back feels the coolness of a wall and she takes a breath and looks at them, tearing her face away from theirs. "What's this all about?" They only smirked darkly at her before pushing themselves further from her until they stood a few feet from her, "nothing." She dragged her tongue over her teeth and stepped off the wall, undressing them with her eyes and she nodded, "alright, late then" she growled as she walked passed them through the city. She wasn't nearly through with them; they had just opened the floodgates.

Curie: Closeness for her is a turn on. She's in the middle of lecturing a settler on the importance of not wasting water when they come up behind her and cover her eyes with their hands. She lets out a quick scream but then they lean in real close to her ear and say "come with me." She recognizes their voice immediately and she's grinning as they're leading her blind through the settlement. Once they're alone with her they remove their hands from her face and pepper her neck with kisses and she giggles, turning to catch their mouth in hers and she smiles into the kiss. "This is certainly unexpected" she laughs as they bring her in tighter around the waist. Then they're still, just looking into her eyes and rocking slowly side to side, her heart rate slowed and she felt tingling in her belly as they just dove deeper into her eyes. She wanted to lie down with them and sink slowly into them, mesh their bodies together, and bring some darker ideas to light.

Danse: He threw his helmet down and dropped against the wall; he was out of breath and tired. "That was one hell of a fight you put up back there" he said between heavy exhales. The survivor climbed from their power armor and rolled their neck; blood splattered up the side of their face, and looked back at Danse. He was no worse for wear, but hey the raiders didn't look any better with their remains clinging to their power armor. They dug through the toolbox and grabbed a wrench and started dismantling the hulking left arm. Danse watched, chewing on his lower lip, there was nothing quite like this; the heat of battle still flowing through him and watching the survivor take apart their armor, it was great. He got up slowly and stepped out of his own armor and pressed himself against their back, breathing lightly on their neck. "I'm working here" they said, laughing, leaning against him. "You can work later" he whispered, and he pulled them away from the power armor station. It was easy to seduce him, they knew just what they were doing.

Deacon: He's telling another story as their walking through the old church, just going on and on about some kind of mess he had to clean up between Stockton and some settler who got too curious. The silence from the survivor was different and he turned to look at them but they were gone. He lifted a brow and peeked around the corner to find empty space. He frowned and turned around only to bump chests with the survivor, he felt heat rising up to his ears and their lips went right for his neck just over his adam's apple. He groaned and then they felt their teeth graze his skin lightly as they moved up his jaw then pulled at his lip. His hands slid up their arms and pulled them into him but they leaned away and pulled his lip, he winced in pain until they let go. "We're gonna be late, come on" they said and left him standing there to gather himself. Seducing him requires a lot of catch and release, it's a day-long process at best.

Hancock: It doesn't take much to seduce him. They wait until they've reached Sanctuary hills where they'd be safe to stay for the night and both of them are ready to relax after a long day. Hancock rests on a couch, his head falls onto the back of the couch and he closes his eyes. The survivor strides over to him quietly and he looks up without lifting his head and grins slyly. They straddle him and trap his hands with their legs. They kiss him hard, forcing their tongue into his mouth and depositing two mentats; he groans, his fingers curl and dig into their thighs, eliciting an equally anguished moan. They lean back to breathe and he shifts his weight forward , knocking them back onto the ground and he pinned them beneath him. "Not so fast" he hissed, smiling into their mouth and grabbing at their hair. He wasn't about to let them walk away and leave him empty handed.

MacCready: He's a little trickier to get hot and bothered since mostly he just wants to hold them close. However, there is very little that can rouse him from that state of mind like the survivor in nothing but his jacket and hat. He opens the door to their shared room and drops whatever he's holding and just makes incoherent sounds, "what are you waiting for, get over here" they say in their most sultry voice. He stumbles in, tearing off his shirt and letting it fall to the ground. He fumbles with his belt as he kicks off his boots. He's a mess and the survivor is eating it up, he puts a knee down on the mattress and crawls to hover over them but they stop him with a foot to the chest. He grabs their ankle softly and gives it a gentle squeeze and they grin widely up at him; "you've got to work for it tonight" they say just louder than a whisper, and he loses it.

Maxon: They are standing behind Danse as he and the paladin spoke about the recently completed mission. He watches them with little interest until they slowly pull down the zipper of the BoS jumpsuit to fan their neck. It's been hot out and sweat has collected on their skin. Maxon tries to look back at Danse without giving away how intently he was staring at the survivor. But he couldn't look away for long, their zipper had dropped to just above their belly button and the fabric had opened just enough to see the strip of skin of their abdomen. He turned around quickly to take his eyes off of them, and paced along the railing in front of the window. Danse grew silent, he waited for the Elder to say something, give an order. Maxon had a lump in his throat that he couldn't seem to swallow. He turned back to them and saw that the survivor had zipped up their suit again and his body tensed, anticipation rocked him. "You're free to go" he said and Danse saluted him before turning to leave and they turned to follow him, "not you, knight." The survivor turned their head, smirking as Danse's footsteps disappeared down the hall.

Nick: "Detective" he heard someone say and he looked behind him down the alley to see a dark figure concealed in shadow leaning against the wall. He turned around to face them completely, something in him told him this would be worth his time. They came closer to him, slow steps that Nick could barely hear and he came towards them, they meet in darkness. Even though he can see well in low light, he couldn't make out their facial expression, but he knew who it was. "I need you," they said, their voice low and desperate. He felt their hand wrap around the back of his neck and their chest rubbed against his. He felt himself heating up, their legs saddling around his, his lips scratching along their jaw. He whispered in their ear, "I'll do what I can do to help" all the while coolant is shooting through engines more rapidly than he can ever remember. By the looks of things they weren't going to get anywhere close to private.

Piper: She's probably the hardest to seduce, she has to be in a romantic setting; dinner, low light, fancy attire. The survivor reaches over to grab her hand from across the table, just missing the candle in the middle. She smiles at them as they kiss the back of her hand then up to her wrist. "You look beautiful" they say and her smile grows, basically lighting up the room. She has never been so happy, nothing like this has ever happened, she's never felt so lucky in all her life. Their fingers sweep over her skin as they trace her arm and she shivers. "You're not trying to seduce me, are you?" she asks, smirking. The survivor has the thinnest smile on their lips, "I dunno, what do you think, are you seduced?" She laughs hard enough to snort and they giggle. The mister Handy hovers over to their table with a notepad, "Hello! are we thinking about dessert?" The survivor grins darkly, "I think we've already got that covered" Piper is clearly amused just by the look on her face. She's bright red, even if it is just talk- though she doubts it is.

Preston: Risk of being caught in public makes him wild. They'll catch him during a patrol and throw themselves at him; biting at his collarbone, driving their hips into his and closing any distance between them. The high the risk the better, if there is a small group of settlers just a few yards away his heart will pound in his throat and he'll try to step back from them, but if they deny him that he gets such a thrill that his head hurts. Before he can insist that they go somewhere private they dash away from him, watching him sway off balance without them to hold him up. He'll walk towards them, ginning, but knowing what their game is, and they back up a few more steps until they get him alone. If they already are alone when the survivor decides to seduce him, it's by slowly undressing him. His cheeks flush and he scrambles to touch their body but they won't allow it and he's just aching to feel them.

What's their secret kink?

Cait: Elder fucking Maxon. She's got it bad for him and whenever she and the survivor go up top to talk to anyone on the Prydwen she sticks around to just look at him. He once brushed past her because she was intentionally in the way and that one incident stuck with her for weeks. She just wants him to say her name, he doesn't have to be nice about it either, the thought keeps her up at night. Even while she's intimate with the survivor it's him she thinks of.

Curie: She's really into using toys in bed, like she shamelessly asks for the survivor to use the strangest things they can find. Like they'll be out exploring and she'll pick up centuries old dildos if she finds them and calls them fair game. The survivor is, at first, put off by this but she just gets so into it that they can't say no.

Danse: Normally he's dom but when he's really into getting crazy he loves being the blindfolded sub. He's just absolutely crazy about it but only requests it seldom; he likes to keep it special. Bonus points if they bind his hands together, if the survivor becomes this unobtainable dom he just goes bananas over them.

Deacon: Eating food off the survivor or taking body shots. He loves using his mouth on them, but he also loves eating and when the two meet it's amazing for him. He loves when they squirm if they're ticklish; any sharp inhales or giggles or grunts just make him harder.

Hancock: As if getting high together wasn't enough, getting high while naked? _In public_? Forget about it. They'll get nice and stoned and he'll take them from behind while they're leaning over the railing of the old state house. He doesn't care, they are irresistible to him and if everyone else in town knows it, that's fine too, so long as they know the survivor is his. It's all worth it in the end to see them wearing his clothes the next day; they look so much better naked though.

MacCready: He's into light bdsm; biting, spanking, slapping, etc. but he won't choke the survivor- he's worried he'll go too far. If he sees their skin redden he offers to trade roles; he doesn't care if they hurt him, he's just too protective to hurt them more than he thinks they can handle, even if they can handle more. He's all for it though, he'd rather be on the receiving end anyway.

Nick: He's got a disastrous voice kink, speak to him in a transatlantic accent and he's gone. There's something in his writing, he figures, that makes him crave it, and since no one else really has a grasp on what it sounds like he almost never hears it. However because the survivor has an understanding of it they're able to pull that card on him whenever they want and he'll get all hot and bothered and no one else will seem to notice the difference.

Piper: The way she ties a knot you'd think she was in the boy scouts. She loves tying up the survivor in any way they are comfortable with. Seeing them tied up and exposed and vulnerable makes her skin crawl in anticipation. Whenever she tightens the bonds and they hiss she quivers. She likes to touch them without them getting to touch her back.

Preston: He likes to role play, the ability to be someone else and live another life for however short it may be is so exciting to him. They do all sorts of things together; cliché doctor-patient, student-teacher, cop-bad guy, but his favorite is where he gets to be the general and order them around.

X6: When the survivor talks dirty to him while there's nothing he can do to take them up on it he gets pretty worked up. If they call him names or insult him while they're at it he just builds up even more. He likes verbally being taken advantage of, it only makes the sex better when he finally gets them alone.

What's their job when they visit settlements?

Cait: defense, preferably patrolling during the day

Codsworth: housekeeper, cleans up after everyone

Curie: medic

Danse: cook

Deacon: farmer

Dogmeat: thunder blanket, he comforts settlers

Hancock: as little as possible tbh

MacCready: declares himself mayor and tries to tell others what to do

Nick: people will tell him their problems and he tries to solve them or at least give them advice

Piper: she does bartering for the survivor; she's got a way with words.

Preston: patrols at night

Strong: he helps build things, usually if something needs to be done up high

X6: he makes modified armor


	20. and falling in love

Something to hold y'all over while I work on the mound of requests you sent in. Thanks for all those, by the way!

Cait:

It's late when they finally decide to set up camp for the night and Sole's trying to get a fire started but the rain is making it just about impossible. She's cold, but she's right out there with them, holding the light steady so they can see. The light is shaky and they can't quite see what they're doing, suddenly Sole looks up to see her shivering. Cait feels her gut twist, she had one job and she's fucking it up. She braces herself for Sole to berate her but instead they slide their heavy jacket off and drape it around her shoulders. They cup her cheek in their hand and give the other cheek a quick kiss, smiling at her. Cait just stares, her mouth twitching into a grin. "Come on, we have to get out of this weather" Sole says, abandoning the small, damp heap of firewood and taking her hand in theirs. They trudge through mud and muck and Cait watches the back of their head in the dim light as they lead her through the downpour. She feels the rain hit the jacket without feeling the wetness and she realizes Sole is now down to their jumpsuit and body armor. She winces, no one has ever sacrificed their own comfort for her and here they are in the middle of the night in the cold rain, and they're willing to practically give her the shirt off their back. She smiles to herself, after everything this is it, this is her and Sole and it's them against the world. She gives their hand a squeeze, it's subtle and they hardly notice it, but they squeeze back and it lights her up.

Curie:

She watches from a porch across the street from the workbench and rests her chin in her hand and her elbow on her knee. They've got a cigar held firmly in the corner of their mouth, surrounded by blueprints and tools and a half-eaten mirelurk cake. Sole had been trying for months to build her a lab like the one she had in 81 but lacked the parts and the knowhow to do it. They had been bartering with all kinds of caravans from the crater of atom to Prydwen and now they had the blueprints. She was excited that it was coming together and watching it all come into play was exciting. She knew they had been working really hard to do all of this for her and she was so grateful. Dogmeat trotted over and rolled onto his back in front of Sole and they gave him belly scratches. Curie giggled as the dog snapped up the rest of the cake and took off, it was all a ruse. Sole glanced over at her and smiled to match hers. "Why don't you come over here?" they called to her and she pranced over. They pulled her down into their lap and she laughed, she felt so comfortable around them. "So take a look at this, so far we've got all the parts to build a properly functioning actuator that will power the lab, what we need to do is-" she stopped listening and just watched them talk. Their face was coated in sweat and dirt, their clothes disheveled, their fingers burned from electrical malfunction, but they still had a light in their eyes and laugh lines. Sole didn't care about the work they needed to put in to make Curie's dream happen, they would do whatever it took and from what she had experience in the Commonwealth, that was a rare trait. She leaned over and gave them a kiss mid sentence and they kissed back. Her insides burned with something new, something more that what she had felt for them before, she thought this must be love.

Danse:

"Hold still," they said, working the needle through his shoulder. He had been attacked by a raider with a pipe and had his shoulder split open pretty good. He tightened his jaw as the threat pulled though his skin, it was a very unpleasant feeling and he wanted it to stop. "I'm sure it'll heal over if you leave it alone" he said, inching from Sole. "Danse if you don't stop fussing I'll sew your fingers together, now hold still, I'm nearly finished." He sighed as they dug into his flesh again. They didn't need to do this; he was strong enough to heal on his own. He closed his eyes, thinking back to the last time he had to get stitches, now that he thought about it; it was Sole patching him up from a much more severe injury to his side. They had to dig out a bullet from just under his ribs and pack the wound. He opened his eyes and turned to look at them; Sole was so focused, they were wearing a pair of reading glasses and their jaw was tight. They tied off the thread and cut it, finally (and ceremoniously) kissing his shoulder, as if it would seal the patchwork. They took off the glasses, turned off the pipboy light and sunk down beside him. "Thank you" he said, squinting from the lack of light, they patted his knee and lay back, propped up on their elbows. "Someone's gotta keep you from falling apart" they said, yawning. It was early in the morning, the sun would be rising in an hour or so and he too felt tired. He laid down, facing them, looking into their eyes and letting his fully adjust to the darkness. He couldn't think of anyone else who would do all of this for him that he knew that he would do for them. He took bullets for them multiple times out of principal but maybe it was more than that. He reached out and brushed their face with the palm of his hand and watched their lips curve into a smile. Maybe all along he knew he was going to fall for them, but looking at them peacefully lying beside him he smiled, but he couldn't have known he'd fall this hard.

Deacon:

He threw down his wig and fanned his head; it was way too hot to wear the damn thing. He looked around for Sole, they were about ten feet away, stripping down out of their vault suit. He raised a brow, this was different. They caught sight of him looking at them and they only smirked, throwing the suit to the side and putting on some lighter clothes. "Enjoying the view?" they asked, buttoning up their shirt then collecting the discarded mound of clothing. He blushed and cursed under his breath "absolutely" he said finally. He had known people in railroad three times longer than Sole knew him who wouldn't trust him to tell them where the bathroom was. Then here was Sole, not minding in the least that he was watching them undress. It's not like he hadn't seen them naked before, they'd fooled around once or twice, but this was somehow more casual than that. "Come here" they said, he picked up his wig and sauntered over to him, still grinning. They took a can of water from their pack and poured it over him, it was cool and he sighed, it felt so nice. They rubbed their fingers over his scalp as the water ran over it and his mouth hung open in some sort of trance. Nothing had ever felt this good, Sole watched his face and laughed dryly; he seemed to be enjoying this way more than they thought he would. The can emptied and they leaned in to kiss his cheek but he turned his head and caught them with his mouth. Sole laughed into the kiss and pulled away, "we gotta keep moving, there's hardly any cover here." He watched them walk ahead a little and cocked his head. _Shit_ , he thought, he loved them; he loved them and he didn't know how to deal with it. He couldn't tell them because it was too soon, it would have been weird. No one trusted him, no one gave him the time of day, no one got to know him; not like they did. No one would pamper him like what had just happened. He didn't ask for it, they did it because they wanted to, and that was just so cool. "Come on, Dee, you're going to get shot at if you stick around here for too long" they called out, not turning to see that he was following behind them from a distance. He grinned and nodded, he was going to tell them, but he'd have to find the right time.

Hancock:

He blinked slowly letting the spent jet canister fall to the floor; he let himself slump back into the chair and coast off into a half dream. Sole walked in, they had been looking for him everywhere, not sure which settlement he'd wound up at after they split up so they could take Curie out on the field. "Hey" they said softly, pulling up a chair to sit knee to knee in front of him. He was unresponsive, awake, but unresponsive and Sole sighed. They knew it bothered him to have to leave them when they left with someone else, but he was just very dramatic in assuming they wanted nothing to have to do with him. "John, how many hits did you take?" he rolled his head back and forth; their words sounded deep and slurred and they didn't make any sense. Sole stood up and pulled him out of his chair, slinging him over their shoulder. His vision blurred from the sudden movement, but he was strangely comfortable. As they walked from the room to a bedroom they scolded him, "John, you now I love having you by my side, you got my back, I got yours. I don't know how to convince you of that, I don't know why you overdo it on the chems, if it's because of me I want to know what I can do to make you not do it." They shrugged him onto the bed and he bounced a bit, giggling at the weightlessness. They crawled into bed beside him, sitting up against the headboard and he wiggled into their lap and started speaking quietly, less than a whisper. Sole twisted their face and tried to lean down so they could hear what he was saying, but it only sounded like babbling. They sighed and straightened up, falling asleep as they rubbed his shoulder, he fell asleep too. He woke up before they did, noticing that he had fallen asleep in their lap; he looked at their face and traced their lower lip with his thumb before kissing them gently. Not even Fahrenheit stayed with him while he slept off his high, she found his muttering unsettling. He watched their stillness, and bit his lip before whispering, "I think I love you," sure that they were asleep. But their mouth twitched as they tried to feign sleep, the excitement was overwhelming.

MacCready:

His fingernails dug into his legs and he stifled shouts as Sole drove the brush through his tangled hair. "Let me just put my hat back on, we'll pretend this never happened, come on!" Sole snorted, it was too late, they were over half way done. "Mac, if you would have just stayed on top of this I wouldn't be hurting you like this, besides-" he yelped as they tore the brush out of a knot "just because you don't like taking care of yourself, doesn't mean I don't want to take care of you." His eyes watered but Sole's words hit him; they really cared about him. "I know this hurts, but I'm almost done, you're going to feel so much better" he didn't believe them at first, his head was sore and he took another swig of whiskey. Soon, but not soon enough for him, Sole was done and he ran his fingers through his hair; it really was as nice as they promised. "See?" he couldn't hold back his smile, "yeah sure" he grunted. Sole took the bottle from him and took a few mouthfuls and he watched them, finally taking his hand off his head. "So, what, you like taking care of me, is that it?" They shrugged, grabbing the back of his neck and giving him a firm squeeze, "I like that I can make you feel better" they said, letting their fingers slip away from him. He got this look on his face like he was about to propose something ridiculous and Sole prepared for whatever he was about to say. "What if I wanted to make you feel better for a change?" they grinned at him for a moment before looking away. They didn't answer him, but he really liked how they looked in that light, at that angle; he held their hand loosely. "You already do" they said, cupping his hand on theirs with their other hand. His insides superheated and his neck blushed. "I…" he started but fell silent, Sole looked back over to him, "you what?" _I love you_ , he thought but he shook his head, "eh, it's nothing. Thank you." Sole squinted at him but nodded, "you're welcome."

Nick:

He watches as Sole as they come into the agency building and leave the door open, they're in a hurry. "Nick, hey, there's something I want you to see, meet me on the roof." They're carrying a large bag and he follows them with peaked curiosity. He stands back from them a bit as they empty the contents of the bag and start assembling some kind of weapon. "That's an odd looking gun you've got there" he remarks and they snicker. "It's not a gun, but it's going to be loud, I think you'll like it." Nick looked around and sat down, enjoying the darkness that was creeping over the sky with just a little bit of light left. Sole looked around, patting themselves, checking in pockets then looked over to Nick, "you got a light?" He grinned and handed them a lighter, "you bet I do" Sole took the lighter and ignited a long fuse, it burned slow. "I found these up in the grand stands the other day, they used to use them when the home team got a homerun." Sole backed up and sat beside Nick, their head on his shoulder and their arms wrapped around his. He looked at them from the corner of his eye, they looked so happy and he couldn't help but wonder _why_. "What's this about? Why share this with me?" They grimace at the question, "Nick, there's no one else I'd rather be up here with." He smiles for a second but the loud boom that comes from the fireworks nearly scares the bolts out of him. There are screams from the residents of Diamond city but once the colorful sparks rain over them they fall silent. Nick watches the skies, all sorts of colors shine above them and he sighs. Sole snuggles up closer to him and he turns his attention to them; they're in a state of wide-eyed awe. He's never seen them look like this, he feels strange and he doesn't notice when he beams at them. They look over to him and see his expression, they laugh, it's a euphoria that neither of them can explain. The way the colors dance across their face and then fade to darkness brings a different light to them that he never sees. He rests his head on theirs, the regular dull roar of nightlife returns but they stay hooked together. "Just me, eh?" he feels them nod and he closes his eyes; he would give anything for that feeling to stay with him forever. This is probably the closest he's ever been to being in love and if this was love he hoped he wasn't coming on too strong.

Piper:

She's sitting on the mattress with her knees tucked up against her chest and trying to keep from looking as terrible as she feels. Sole is sitting across from her, massaging her hands, smiling sleepily. "You're not mad?" Sole chuckles and kisses her wrist, "of course not. What kind of asshole would I be if I were mad about it?" Piper sighs shakily and tries to smile. She was so worried that the time would come when Sole wanted to get intimate but she'd tell them no. It was a serious concern of hers and now that she saw that they weren't even a little upset she was relieved. "I don't know, Blue, there's just nothing about it that I… I mean I just don't-" Sole flashes her a toothy grin and she stops mumbling. "I don't need to have sex with you Piper; I just want to be with you. If you're comfortable with it, I'd like to cuddle with you." Piper lets out a laugh and hides her face in her knees; she honestly didn't think they'd take it so well, "only if I get to be the little spoon." Sole nodded slowly, "deal" Piper stretched her legs out and laid back on her side where Sole took their spot behind her. She rested her head on their arm and their other arm rested over her waist, anchoring her close to them. She was smiling as she held onto their hand when the whisper into her ear, "is it okay if I give you kisses?" She thought for a minute and they waited for her to respond, "maybe not this time, is that cool?" They nuzzled their nose into the crook of her neck, "no problem" they whispered. Their breath tickled her neck and she laughed; thinking back, she had never been so comfortable. She hadn't been with someone who respected her boundaries so much and without griping. Her heart was pounding and they felt her get very warm, they loosened their hold on her, "how bout we go slower." Sole unwrapped their arm and turned onto their back, leaving the other arm under her head. Once she heard their breathing steady into sleep she knew they were the one. She trusted them to listen to her wants and needs, she knew they would behave themselves around her. Eventually she'd become more comfortable around them, but for now this was perfect.

Preston:

He breathes warm air into his hands and shivers, the mornings are getting colder. He scans the horizon from a high post and the silence of the world feels loud to him. Suddenly he hears someone coming up the wooden steps behind him and he turns his head to see Sole with a blanket. He smiles as they spread the blanket over his shoulders and around his chest and they keep his arm around him. "It's a cold one today" they say, steam wafting from their mouth with each word. He nods and blinks slowly, fighting the tiredness that plagues him every morning. "Why don't you go back and get some sleep? I can take over for a while" he shakes his head, grunting. "I've got it, besides you're the one who's always on missions, don't you need your rest?" Their arms finally fall from him and their warmth goes with them. They're quiet for a while, leaning against the defensive barrier, "I'm going to stay here with you. You could use the company." He blinks at them and smiles; they don't have much going on that day so they can afford to spend time with him. He feels them sink against his back again and the warmth is welcome. "I don't tell you often enough but, you're really important around here. I know you made me the general but, these people look up to you like a leader." He was already smiling but if he were able to he'd smile wider. There was a warmth in him that poured into his hands and feet and shielded him from the cold. They always had a way with making him feel good but this was significant, this is something that he struggled with internally because he was never sure he was good enough. He turned around and took their jaw in his hand and kissed them soft, his face tingled. "I love you" he said slowly, unsure if he was really speaking. They blushed and went back in for another kiss. They didn't have to say it yet, but he wanted them to know that they meant the world to him.


	21. Round three of requests

Round Three

(You guys are on top of it with the requests. If there's anything from the list that you want fleshed out let me know!)

Defending Sole from being verbally assaulted

(the request was "someone's bugging sole about their son being the leader of the Institute)

Cait:

"Hey! You!" Sole turned to see two or three drifters making their way towards them and Cait narrowed her eyes, "I don't like the look of this." "You're the one whose son runs the Institute, right?" Sole clenched their jaw and froze in place, "that's right." There was a short silence before the jeers started "your son's a monster!" "The Institute ruined my family!" "This is your fault!" Just as Sole was getting ready to turn and walk away Cait ran towards the guy in front and decked him with a hard left hook and he dropped. The others fell silent immediately, "if you know what's good for you, you'll be fuckin off right about now." Her wrist ached from the sudden recoil but she was ready to start swinging; fortunately the drifters took off, leaving their friend behind. Sole watched her with a lump in their throat as she massaged her arm and walked back towards them, "let's be going" she said curtly, Sole followed behind her with a gleam of pride.

Curie:

They left the bar early enough to avoid the regular crowd of people, but not early enough to go unnoticed. "Hey vault-dweller, good one putting that Institute down. I bet the son of a cow that ran that show was a motherless fuck-" before he could finish whatever he was going on about Curie marched up to him and poked him hard in the chest. "How dare you speak of a person you don't know about? How dare you insult them, do you even know who they are? Do you even know that they had to kill their own blood? Of course you don't, you're too drunk and useless to even pull your head out of your" Sole wasn't even listening anymore. There was too much pride in their heart for them to mind what was being said, they just grinned as the drunkard was getting verbally hammered on. Curie turned around and walked back to Sole in a flurry, "I want to leave now, let's go."

Danse:

They're on a recon mission negotiating with caravaners on a supply line when one of them recognizes who Sole is and she tries to taunt them. "That kid of yours is the reason this whole place is so fucked up. Maybe you should'a never crawled out of that vault." At first they're surprised that someone would even know that about them but then their anger creeps over their face and Danse catches it. He grabs her by collar and pulls her over the counter. "Listen civilian, this is a Brotherhood knight. You disrespect them and you disrespect not only me, but the entire Brotherhood. Allow that to weigh on your conscience. Now apologize." His grip tightens on her shirt and she swallows hard, eyes darting from Danse to Sole, "I'm sorry, alright? Let me go!" Danse drops them and they slide on to the counter, Sole fights the smile that Danse deserves for defending them and instead focuses on the mission, "we need a large supply of fusion cores, what kind of deal can you cut me?"

Deacon:

It's about a month after they bring down the Institute but the identity of Shaun was revealed to the entire Railroad just before making the big move against them. With how close-knit everyone is both Sole and Deacon are surprised when someone from the Railroad speaks out against them. "That was your son that made all these problems. If it weren't for him we wouldn't be in hiding!" Deacon is about to punch him right in the throat but Sole speaks up, "and if it weren't for him you wouldn't even be here. Maybe he was messed up, I don't deny that, but he made you what you are. He created you after himself, you owe everything you are to him so don't whine to me that you have to be in hiding. He's gone, dammit, you're not hiding anymore." Deacon raises a brow and nods as Sole heads out through the service tunnel but the agent still runs his mouth. "Watch your mouth asshole, I'm not gonna warn you again" he says coolly. The agent shakes his head, "you tell your friend that us synths can never respect-" before he can finish his thought Tinker Tom punches him in the mouth, "speak for yourself" he grunts, shaking his hand in pain. Deacon only claps and laughs as he follows Sole out, "you tell him, Tom."

Hancock:

They're walking through the back alley of Diamond City and they hear snickering, Sole automatically thinks that it's because Hancock's with her, "just keep walking, come on." Then they hear it, a small group of drifter bums talking about Sole's son. "what must it have been like to find out your own flesh and blood was the boogeyman of the Commonwealth? You brought that evil into the world." Hancock turned on a heel and before Sole could stop him he was tossing his knife from hand to hand, walking towards the group. "I hated the Institute as much as the next guy, but who the hell are you to point fingers here?" The drifters weren't unarmed, a few of them had pipes, one had a tire iron, but he didn't falter, Sole got ready for a fight, "they're not worth our time, John, let's just go." He turned his head and looked at them out of his peripheral, smiling, but addressing the drifters "and just who do you think was the one who took down the Institute, huh? You're lookin' at 'em." One of the larger guys swunf his pipe at Hancock but he sidestepped and parried the attack, stepping around him and bringing the point of his knife against the drifter's neck. He chuckled and Sole held their breath "there's no point in killing you, but don't mistake my mercy for forgiveness. You're gonna leave my friend here alone and we're going to leave. If I hear you giving them a hard time, I won't be so nice next time." He shoved the drifter back towards his friends, grabbed Sole's hand and they left the city.

MacCready:

"You're not that vault-dweller who raised the head of the institute are you?" MacCready's neck snapped around so fast his body hardly had time to catch up and Sole just sighed, this was getting old. Somehow everyone knew who they were and they were on the verge of blaming Travis. "So what if they are, huh?" MacCready stood between them and the curious settler, brow so furrowed his head started to pound. "I just… I just wanted to congratulate you on… I mean I know it couldn't have been easy to…" they couldn't form their words and MacCready just glared at them. "You need to back off, we don't have time for this." Sole frowned and put their hand on his shoulder, "it's okay, Mac, they're fine. Let's just go." He shook their hand off and walked away with them, "it's not okay, boss, you're hurting, I can tell. I just wish people would leave you alone. You didn't tell him to run the Institute, why do they blame you?" There was a short silence between them and Sole shrugged, "thanks for having my back."

Nick:

They're leaving Diamond city together, once outside the walls one of the guards call out to them, "well if it ain't the synth and the Institute spy." Nick grabbed Sole's elbow and urged them to keep walking and not look back. "I'm talking to you, you rusted son of a bitch, look at me!" Nick's grip tightened on their arm and his pace sped up but Sole stopped, "I'm not letting him talk to you like that" they said, turning quickly to face the guard. "If you've got something to say, say it" they said, heat pooling in their face. The guard chuckled and held up his hands in mockery, "whoa, I don't want to upset the Institute, don't want to get replaced." Sole felt themselves ball their hands into fists and shake, then Nick's hand found their shoulder and he stepped around them, "you've got some real nerve. If anything you should be thanking them, not mocking them, do you know the sacrifices made to keep the Commonwealth safe?" There was silence as if the guard was contemplating starting a fight but then he waved his hand at Nick and Sole and turned away, "I don't get paid enough to deal with your kind anyway." Nick turned to Sole, clearly flustered, but sighed and managed a smile, "let's get going, huh?"

Piper:

It's only after she publishes the article that she realizes she may have made a horrible mistake. Sole walks in to her office with the article and a flushed face. Piper puts her hands up and takes a few steps back, "Blue I know this looks bad, I just thought it might help people appreciate what you've done if they knew he was your son." Sole steps towards her slowly, letting the article fall from their hand, "Piper, I know you meant well but do you have any idea what this has been doing to me? All week I've been getting harassed left and right by drifter and caravan and guard. Piper, you really should have run it by me first." Piper's face burned and she opened her mouth just as someone bust in and pointed at Sole, "so it was you! You're the one who brought that devil into the world! You should be strung up and-" Piper ran forward and screamed at her. "Stop! Don't you get it? Didn't you read the whole thing? They're not to blame for the Institute, their son is and they killed him! They saved us all! You have no right! Get out of my home!" The woman stood in the doorway, at a loss for words and left reluctantly. Piper had forgotten to breathe and finally exhaled slowly, "I'm so sorry, Blue."

Preston:

He spares no tolerance when Marcy gives Sole trouble, instead, when she comes at them fast and starts giving them hell about Shaun, he steps in. "Marcy! That is enough. This is the general of the minutemen, not only did they save us from Concord but they're constantly saving so many others in the commonwealth and setting them up for a better future. You're not innocent here, have you forgotten the things we had to do to escape Quincy? The people we had to leave behind, the ones we had to let die so we could escape unseen? Have some respect; all of us are here today because of the General. Show some tact, Marcy, and don't speak so blindly with anger to someone who deserves all the kindness in the world. She fell silent, but not compliant, and stormed off. Sole's lips were parted slightly, fighting the instinct to let their jaw drop. "Preston, I had no idea," He turned to them finally and mustered a grin, "it's nothing, General, don't let anyone talk down to you."

Strong:

There's not much diplomacy to his train of thought, if someone speaks in ill will towards Sole and they don't immediately respond or hold him back, he will destroy them. He will remove them from the face of the earth. It happens twice that week, both occasions having to do with Sole's son. He's not sure what the big deal is, their son is dead as far as he knows, and mourning isn't something he's culturally familiar with. What he does know is that Sole gets visibly uncomfortable and they don't act on it. He'll give them a look that says ' _to smash or not to smash, that is the question'_ and if they don't deny him he will kill whoever has something to say to Sole.

X6:

He takes personal offence to someone talking about Father in such a way, it is doubled when they accuse Sole of the bogeyman aspect being on them. "And you, you're one of those machines, right? I bet you don't even have a di-" before the settler realizes that he's suffocating he's dead. Sole just watches him with wide eyes then looks around frantically making sure no one saw. "Are you serious?" X6 just blinks at them and purses his lips, "no one speaks of Father in that way. Further, no one speaks of you in that way. Are we clear?" Sole tries to swallow but their throat is dry. They are glad that he stood up for them but at the same time quite intimidated. "Sure, sure, just quit killing people over arguments, okay? You're gonna get us shot at."

Finding Sole's ticklish spot:

Cait: She's relentless once she finds out. Sole has to hit her a few times in the hands and arms to get her off of them. Once romanced she does it less often and Sole could not be more pleased

Curie: She only tickles them if she thinks they're being way too serious. If in a relationship with her she definitely tickles them more often, but not to the extent of being annoying.

Danse: He doesn't quite know what to do with this information at first so he stores it away- until he's romanced. He then holds it over them as some sort of playful coercion mechanism and it's a love/hate thing for Sole.

Deacon: Rarely will he tickle them, very rarely, it's happened like one time. He knows it bothers Sole, but also he's afraid that they'll learn his ticklish spots so he just avoids it all together.

Hancock: He'll only tickle them if he knows they're in a good enough mood for it. When romanced he'll tickle Sole if they try to tickle him, but he's a lot more successful than they are.

MacCready: he will not tickle them because he respects their space. But once they're together he will use special tactics to tickle Sole; feather duster or lightly blowing, and it's all very effective. Not only are they much more ticklish than he thought, but it's kind of fun seeing them writhe from his touch. Because of this he reserves tickling for 'special' occasions.

Maxson: he's surprised, he doesn't intend to tickle them but at the same time he gives them this smirk that says 'checkmate' but doesn't bring it up until he's romanced. It only happens in the post-coital cloud, they're laying there together and he brushes his fingers over the area and they roll around and laugh a little; it makes him feel in control, but also it's nice to see them in this light.

Nick: He doesn't like the idea of tickling Sole because it looks uncomfortable for them. He apologizes about it and never does it again… but he thinks about it sometimes.

Piper: She's also pretty unyielding to Sole's ticklish spots. However once they find that she's also ticklish she spends more time protecting herself than tickling them and this works out fine for them and they agree to a cease fire for the time being. If they're romantic then all's fair in love and war, it's tickle or be tickled.

Preston: He apologizes, not meaning to have made them react so adversely, but it's interesting info to have. Once romanced he tickles them occasionally, just to get them to smile after a rough day to remind them they can still laugh

X6: He's very unsure of what he's done, he doesn't know if it's good or bad or a bit of both but he dismisses it since Sole doesn't seem to have any long-lasting negative effects from it. After being romanced they talk about it and he begins to understand but only a little; it's hard for someone not ticklish to relate to someone who is in that way. He doesn't tickle them on purpose even with the knowledge of it.

Dirty dancing + The songs I used for their dance

Cait: [Earned it- The Weeknd]

She nearly swallows her cigar as sole hops into her lap, slowly twisting their hips. Their hands tilt her head back gently before springing back to their feet and strut around her to music neither of them can hear. She tries to get out of her seat but they force her back and she laughs shyly, "okay." They bring their face close to hers, close enough to kiss but then they pull away again, this time bringing her to her feet with them. They grab her hips from behind and slowly grind against her, leading her to sway with them, sliding their hands up her sides and bringing her arms up over her head. She's way too turned on to move away from them, instead she just moves with them, letting her hips roll against them, taking everything in. They breathe lightly on her neck and bring their hands back down her body, one rubbing her belly, the other working up her shirt. The song ends in the survivor's head but Cait is so into it that when they start to pull from her she turns around and takes them right there.

Danse: [These boots were made for Walkin' - Emilie Claire-Barlow]

He's polishing off a shot of whisky in the bar of the Prydwen when he hears a rhythmic tapping coming down the corridor and his jaw hits the counter when he sees sole dressed in the shortest shorts he's ever seen anyone wear. He looks around quickly making sure no one else is present before he remembers that it's two in the morning and everyone's asleep. He turns to face them and they've gotten quite a bit closer, he wants to tell them to stop acting foolish but why stop them? They creep up to him, parting his legs a little and he swallows hard. They turn so they're facing away from him and shimmy, their fingers curl into their hair, his eyes caught on the bobbing ass in front of him. He breathes slowly, not letting on how excited he is, he's never seen anyone move like this before. They turn again to face him and they grab his hands, forcing him to feel them up inside their shirt. He stands up and they drop his hands, but they stay where they are. They slide a leg up his side and he lifts them under the thigh prompting the same from the other leg. They lean back, their belly exposed to him and he licks his lips, he needed to get them to his quarters and quick.

Piper: [Gay Bar- Electric Six]

Sole hops in front of her and she's really not sure where they came from and they startle her something awful. "Girl!" they shout and she scowls at them "what." They smile and lower a shiny pair of sunglasses onto their face, pausing for effect. "I wanna take you to a gay bar!" they announce quite loudly and she bursts into laughter as they rip off their tear-away pants to reveal their underwear; honestly she's laughing so hard she's almost in tears. They hop around in front of her, bumping up against her with the biggest grin, trying to goad her into dancing with them. It's a silly dance, they make faces at each other and swing their heads wildly, she wasn't sure what the song sounded like but whatever it was she was enjoying herself. Sole grabbed her hands and moved them around and they laughed as they jumped around the office. Soon they were winded from all the hopping around. "Blue, you're crazy" she laughed breathlessly, they nodded and leaned back over her lap. She lowered a kiss onto their lips and shook her head, never a dull moment with them.

Deacon: [Gimme More- Britney Spears]

"Clap for me real quick" they say and though he's confused he starts clapping and the survivor nods, picking up the beat and nodding. He lifts a brow, about to put his hands down until they start shifting hips and their hands go behind their head. They stomp towards him matching pace and wrap their hands around his neck and pressing their chest against his, still swishing hip from side to side. By this time he's stopped clapping and lets his hands fall on their waist. They kiss him hard before pushing him back and he almost loses his footing but they grab his shirt and ball it into their fists. One hand trails over his shoulders they walk around him to let their fingertips trace down his back giving him instant chills. They pull him down to the ground, making sure that he doesn't fall too hard and he lays there on his back for a second. He sits up but is forced back down when they push their foot against his chest. He never knew how into being pushed around he was but he was into this. As soon as the song ends they lend him a hand to help him up but he pulls them down on top of him instead.

Hancock: [Cockiness - Rihanna]

He doesn't realize it's a dance but he is enjoying what he's seeing. Sole presses themselves against him, letting their fingers scratch lightly from his chest down his thighs and he inhales sharply. They lower themselves, bending their knees to they're nearly sitting down and he watches as they wiggle back up. He reaches out to touch them but they back up, a devilish grin on their face. He growls as they spin around slowly, pulling their shirt up slightly and their pants just barely below the waist; the sight of their skin makes him bite his lip. They spot it and try to amp it up a bit; they take a big step closer to him and tug his coat off, letting it fall around his feet. His shirt goes next, all along they're grinding into him, tempting him, swaying their hips; he even starts moving with them. Until he can't take it anymore; forget them trying to be sexy they nailed it, he doesn't let them finish their dance before taking them to the ground.

MacCready: [Drunk in love- Beyoncé & Jay Z]

They had spent all evening talking, laughing drinking, having a good time for once without having to knock anyone out. Sole had to stop drinking, they had been feeling a little dizzy for a while now but he was so fun to drink with. He looked over at them to see that they were smiling lazily, they looked around to see that they were alone. They stood up and stumbled a little, giggling, "dance with me Rob," they blurted out, already starting to sway. He grinned at them standing up and measuring his steps over to them; there was no music but there didn't need to be. He brought his hands around them, tightly cupping over sole's lower back, their hands wrapped around his neck, their fingers weaving into his hair and he moans into their neck. Their hips rock into him and they pull had on his shoulders to regain their balance before spinning and backing into him. He groans, this is almost too much, but he's too far gone to be creative with his hands so he just keeps them steady while they press themselves against them. "I think we should… find somewhere to… to…" he can't even think clearly with them dancing on him like that. He shakes his head, trying to gain the ability to process thoughts and with that he turns them back to facing him and he hoists them up and throws them over his shoulder. They slump against his back, giggling, "gonna get some tonight" they hiccupped and he couldn't keep a straight face as he carried them from the vacant lounge.

Curie: [In those Jeans- Ginuwine]

She's sitting at a terminal tapping away when sole spins her around and she just looks up at them quizzically. "Have I ever told you how good you look in those jeans?" they ask and her face flushes. Suddenly they pull her from her seat and hook their thumbs into her belt loops and move her hips. She covers her mouth with both hands and giggles; it's new to move like this. "This feels oddly seductive" she says, putting her hands on their shoulders. They grin and pull her closer to them, moving in unison with her and she gasps, her blush darkening. They remove their hands and slide them up her waist and she keeps moving, "that's it, keep dancing with me" they say, biting their lip. they reach behind her and gives her a firm spank and she yelps. Instead of shying away like she might normally, she pushes further against them, kissing them hard. They're pleasantly surprised and squeeze handfuls of her ass and they feel her smile against their mouth. Out of nowhere she pulls away and sits back down, a toothy grin keeping them wondering what happened. "If I weren't so busy right now I'd like to do more dancing with you" she said and turned back around. They sigh and kiss the top of her head before leaving her to her work.

Nick: [Unforgettable- Nat King Cole]

Because Nick doesn't fuck, he makes love, he prefers the slower, older dances. They're holding each other close, his hat and coat are hung up near the door and their armor is piled in a cluttered mound on the desk. They're in the agency alone and they both know the song so they dance in near perfect synchronization. His chin is pressed against the side of their head, his hands over their lower back; their head rests on his chest, hands on his shoulders. They take slow steps from side to side and close their eyes, breathing him in slowly. He's not quite smiling, he's a little too focused, but he's very happy. "Who would've though an old machine like me could dance, huh?" they look up at him, smiling. "Of course you can dance, Nick" they say softly, he smiles then. They kiss his jaw, being mindful of his torn face and sigh; this is the closest they've been since Winter. He had put up an emotional wall and they took their time tearing it down, for this, it was worth the wait. He reached up and tilted their chin up with his thumb and kissed them lightly but longingly. He wanted so badly to be able to do things with them behind the scenes but he was a little underequipped. That would end up not stopping them.

Preston: [Quizas, quizas, quizas- Celia Cruz]

He watches as the survivor stands in front of them and cracks their neck and smiles, "you ready?" they ask. _Ready for what_ , he asks inwardly, "sure?" They smile at him and take his hand, guiding it to their hip the other extended outward in their hand with their other hand on his shoulder. "Normally you'd lead but, you can't hear the song, so I'll take it from here" they say quickly, almost too fast for him to comprehend, and they pull him close and twist their hip violently. Before he knows what they're doing he's being pulled along in a very close dance and surprisingly enough he's not tripping on either of their feet as they're moving their hips slowly against him. Suddenly they stop and let him go and they frown, "maybe you could watch me and then you can jump in when you've got the steps, yeah?" He felt bad but nodded and watched them move. It was mesmerizing how they swayed even without him there. He wasn't sure if he'd understand the steps but watching them was really nice. It apparently didn't matter that he didn't have the steps down because they came up to him and grabbed his hands and without moving their feet much they danced against him slowly. He felt himself sweat, they were just so talented and their dancing was incredible. He didn't even notice how turned on he was by their constant slow movements against him until they mentioned it "feeling a little romantic, eh?" he laughed nervously and they kissed him, stopping their dance finally and his heart was racing.

X6: [Motivation- Kelly Rowland]

They're dancing alone to begin with, just sort of shaking to the song stuck in their head while modifying a weapon. He was watching but wanted to dance with them and as soon as his hand brushes against their lower back the song in their mind changes. They turn to face him and he frowns, "why did you stop?" they blush, heat collecting behind their ears and they turn to face away from him again, shifting their weight onto the other hip and they feel his hand grab their hip and chills race down their spine. Their hands reach back and clamp around the back of his head and neck and they sway slowly, closing their eyes and feeling him grind against them. It's almost as if he can hear the song they're thinking of. They slide down him and come back up, turning to face him, lips inches apart but never satisfied. The sexual tension is too much, they can't dance for him anymore. Instead they pull at his lip with their teeth and his hand snakes around them, pulling at the back of their shirt. "I'd give anything to hear what you heard" he whispers and they smile "I could show you how it goes."

First date with the SS+ expressing feelings

Cait:

She's not visibly nervous when she asks them to meet her at Takahashi's for lunch but it's not until she sees them in the most casual attire she's ever seen them in that her nerves strike up the band. She catches herself staring at them and feels her face heat up when they notice, "took you long enough" she says to break the silence and they laugh as they sit down. To them it's just a nice outing with a good friend but to her this is her chance to tell them that she feels like more than friends. She's not sweating but she's convinced she is and she gets self conscious about it and starts to fan herself. "We can go inside if you want," they say and she's almost willing to accept, except she'd feel more anxious if they were alone. "So listen, I have been meaning to tell you" she starts but loses her cool and crams her face with noodles and they watch her and laugh. She was acting strangely but having known her for a while and seeing what she was doing now, they had their suspicions but they let her carry on. "I think maybe I'd like us as morethanfriends" she said, jumbling the last few words together, they grin widely at her and cock their head, "sorry, what?" They are well aware but watching her struggle was new and fun. She sighs and sighs again until she steadies herself, "I like you, a lot, more than I have anyone else, you're different" she said, a nice shade of pink settling in and they put their arm over her shoulders. "I was hoping that's what you were going to say" she laughs and coughs, relieved at their mutual feelings, but now entirely exhausted and has to spend three days away from them to recover, but they understand.

Curie:

After traveling for close to a month together in her new body she feels closer to the survivor than to anyone else including the scientists from the vault that she considered like family. They're sitting in an open field sharing a lunch of potted meat and purified water surrounded by nothing but tall grass and enormous white clouds; it's a very pretty scene. Curie is holding her knees to her chest and watching Sole trying to shimmy the meat from the contents of the can onto a plate, the noise is gross but promise of a peaceful lunch keeps a smile on her face. They rarely have times like these without some kind of distraction. She looks up to the sky, smiling, it's so beautiful and maybe it's the weather, maybe it's the determined look on the survivor's face, or maybe it's been a long time coming but she leans forward and kisses them on the cheek. There are no regrets, and she sits back and watched them drop the can into their lap with wide eyes; she snickers. "what?" was all they could say and she just smiles, "I think this feeling that I have when I'm around you, it feels better to kiss you rather than to not kiss you." They're blushing so badly that she gets concerned, thinking that it's an allergic reaction, but they explain to her that it's alright, they're just surprised is all.

Danse:

Now normally he's all about order, keeping things in line, making sure everything runs smoothly but on this particular occasion he's letting fate take over. It's not much for a first date; they're at the airport and they found a nice little alcove in a watch tower. Danse watches them behind a hand of cards, pensive as ever, eyes flashing between him and their own hand. "You're not gonna like this" they say, scratching their chin before laying down a pair of tens, a pair of twos and a three. He can't help but smile, and their face droops as he places three nines, jack and a seven on the table. "Incredible" they mumble, leaning back in their seat and staring out at the stars. He really admires them for not being a bad loser like he knows some others to be. "Hey" he says, reaching out and covering their hand in his and their eyes bolt to his. "Maybe next time" they smirk at him with his beaming grin, he's having fun for once and despite having just lost, they admit this is a nice look on him. Then they realize his hand is still holding theirs and they're at a loss, flapping their lips like a fish, searching for words. He laughs and takes the other hand, "what if we did this more often?" He said, watching color creep over their face, trying to hide the fact that he was painfully nervous of being rejected. "What, you mean play cards?" Danse's smile faltered until he felt their fingers weave through his and they smiled at him, "I know what you're saying, Danse, and I think so too." Instantly he was over the moon.

Deacon:

His idea of fun is sitting on top of the giant screen at the drive in and throwing things at cars. The survivor doesn't complain, it's almost cathartic to break old machines with bowling balls and dinner plates. "Some kind of date, huh?" he asked and they raised their brow "is that what this is?" He shrugged; tossing an empty bottle and watching it explode into glass shards on the pavement, "something like that." He's not remotely fazed from this rush of anxiety he's being hit with all at once and writes it off as indigestion. The survivor scoots closer until their thigh is pressed against his, they had feelings for him since day two and this has felt like a long time coming. They're legs dangle from the runway dusk rolls in with cold air and a yellow sky. His skin pebbles but the warmth radiating from sole is conflicting, he shivers and finds an excuse to drape his arm around them. "Bout damn time, Deacon" they sigh, laughing inwardly and he has this awful smug look that makes them all fuzzy inside. "I've got one last thing to toss down there, I think you should have the honor" he said, setting a melon on their lap. With all the strength they have they hurl the fruit as far as they can and it's obliterated against the passenger side door of a little red car. If this is what it would be like with him, they wanted it every day.

Hancock:

He's a nervous wreck, dates aren't something he deals with, ever, but he thinks the survivor deserves a date. He didn't know what to do and struggled with coming up with something for nearly a week until Fahrenheit couldn't stand his fickleness any longer. She flicked a cigarette at the side of his head to get his attention and said with a low sigh, "why don't you take 'em to dinner, John, that's as simple as it gets." He tapped his fingers together and exhaled slowly, "yeah" he said in more of a whisper and looked around the room like he just realized where he was, "but what do I wear?" she groaned and left him alone. Later that evening he met the survivor in the center of town, he decided to wear his normal getup and he was happy to see that they did the same, looking about as normal as they ever did. They were surprised when he gave them a hug, even more so when it lasted longer than two seconds. "Thanks for meeting me," he said parting from them and watching their smile widen. So far, so good. They ate upstairs at the hotel, he had some buddies throw together what looked like it could have been a romantic dinner, but to his dismay they were pretty quiet which made the situation that much harder to deal with. After they were done eating they split some jet and zonked out on a couch. "I don't know how to tell you this in a sentimental enough way but maybe the meaning won't be lost on you." They turn to him sleepily, watching his mouth as he speaks to makes sure he's really saying what it sounds like and they're not just making it up. "I got all these feelings for you and I tried to take you on a date but this was the best I could come up with, I hope it's enough." They blink at him, fighting the yawn that's pulling at their jaw "I like you too, John" they say and they slide their hand down his face and lean against his chest as they fall asleep. He chuckles to himself before letting his head rest on theirs and he falls asleep too.

MacCready:

He goes for potentially the most cliché date in the world and walks with the survivor along the beach. It's a full moon and the light is so bright from it that they don't even need the pipboy light. He gives them his coat and shivers as the cold wind attacks his exposed skin. They look at him with a smirk and he plays off the fact that he's freezing already. They walk for a while in silence, the wind too loud to hear whatever they would have said, and eventually come back inland and rest at the pier. "Thanks for this, Mac, I haven't done this since… well it's been hundreds of years" he laughs, they make cracks at their age every now and then, it's something he never tires of. He watches them, butterflies in his stomach, he rests his eyes on their lips and finds himself grinning. They never spent time together outside of killing things or looting buildings and this was much needed for him, after all the more he traveled with them the more he felt these feelings building up. "So look, you have to know something. I don't- I mean- I'm not good with words and I know I'm not a likely candidate but what if we called this a date?" They squinted at him and tried to read his face, they weren't sure if he was joking or not and they felt a slight heat in their chest. "Like a _date_ date?" he chuckled nervously, the tables turned and now he wasn't sure what they were feeling. "Like a _hey I like you and I want to spend more time with you let's try it out_ date. Yeah." They snuggled into his coat and covered their cheeks, this was unexpected but very exciting, "sure, it's a date then" they said finally. He closed his eyes and smiled, "nice."

Nick:

At first he wanted something over the top but decided it would be better to keep things casual, just in case they didn't feel the same. He takes them to the library and they pick through old burned books for a small collection of reasonably preserved books. They spend hours reading together, laughing about old times, talking about things he remembers and places he's been and they can relate. They have a bond that surpasses time and over the past few months that bond has deepened. He picks up on their moods and speech patterns and nervous ticks and boy are they nervous. They've been progressively scooting closer to him until they are practically in his lap and he's excited, his motor's running like crazy and he's got this subtle grin that they haven't quite noticed. "I have to tell you, kid, I feel closer to you than I do anyone else in this trash heap and maybe it's the spark in your eye but you've lit a fire in me" by this point their looking dreamily at him, their faces just inches apart. He doesn't have to ask, he knows they feel the same way and he's drawing blanks, he's never felt this way before. Suddenly he's nervous but they flash a smile at him, "I was worried it was just me" they said quietly, closing the distance between them.

Piper:

This is probably the most nervous she's ever been and yet she's playing off like a champ. Bowling at the galleria wasn't her first idea but Nat made it sound like a good plan and so far it was. A mister handy at the end of the alley re-aligned the pins and another one closer to them kept score. Piper was winning with the round closing out and they were having fun just being people. There were no enemies, no pending quests, no settlers nagging for their help, they were just on a date. Piper froze up as she repeated the words to herself, _date_. "Are you gonna take your turn and stop the bleeding or am I just gonna have to accept my fate?" she blinked, turning back to them. They were sitting all sprawled out on the bench a few feet before the dotted line and watching her with a smirk. She smiled at them and took her turn, shooting the ball down the alley at break-neck speed. "I'll be goddamned, Pipe" they said, defeat already setting in as she scored her second strike. Mr. Gutsy congratulated her and bounced around happily, the robot at the other end scrambled to reset the pins. "Would you call this a date, Blue?" she asked, trying to ignore the crack in her voice, they leaned forward and stood up to hand her another bowling ball. "Yeah, I'd call this a date, but only 'cause I think you're cute and I kinda like you" her face shaded quickly but they only smiled at her and winked.

Preston:

He's not the one who called it a date, the survivor was but he wasn't sure if they were being silly or not, he decided not to ask. It wasn't much of a date anyway, going through the murky shallows and killing a handful of mirelurks was not something he'd classify as a date. He watched as they climbed up a narrow makeshift bridge up into a tree house, he had to be seeing them wrong, were they smiling? He cleared his throat, "general?" they looked at him, he was a little ways behind and they beamed at him "Preston." He laughed, maybe he didn't always need to be so formal with them, after all they had a habit of keeping things on a first name basis. "Why in the heat of battle do you always seem to be smiling? You're not one of the crazy ones are you?" they laughed and let their rifle hang from their shoulder. "Maybe I'm just always smiling around you, ever think of that?" He smiled but it wasn't on purpose; he took his hat off and fanned himself. They smirked, it wasn't hot out, but their plan was working. "I'll even be willing to bet you didn't think this was going to be a date" they disappeared into the tree house and he followed behind them, surprised to see a very comfortable sitting area. He had to hand it to them, "well you're right about that" he said, sitting beside them on the couch and taking the beer they offered him. "I don't know if you know this, Preston, but I've had eyes for you for a while now and if I didn't know any better" they downed half the bottle in a couple gulps "I'd say you were ignoring my advances." His faced twisted into a sort of nervous smile that only made the survivor laugh. "Let's just say I've been too busy to notice but, that doesn't mean I don't feel the same way." He spoke before he knew what he was saying and he couldn't take back his bluntness but it was okay, they seemed to approve of whatever he had said and although he was a nervous wreck, it all worked out.

X6:

He's not anxious at all because he's got nothing to be anxious about. By the time he's acquired such strong feelings for sole he is not worried about being ashamed because they are so close. He approaches them one day after they've returned from a long time away. He greets them with a friendly hug, this is something they've been doing because he's expressed how nice human contact feels. Only this time it's different and they can tell at once that something's going on. "Hey, is everything alright?" they ask, grabbing his shoulder and he cracks a smile. "Let's go do something" he suggests but the lack of knowledge about the Commonwealth keeps him from coming up with a location. The survivor scowls momentarily, thinking about something for them to do then it's like a light bulb clicks on, "oh, I know, " they say and he follows them as they run through the settlement. He never thought taking Dogmeat on a walk could be considered fun, but there they were and he was enjoying himself. "Sorry, I couldn't think of anything else and I know he needs to stretch his legs." He shrugs, walking very close beside them as they stroll along the manmade lake. "This might sound forced, but I have feelings for you. I've known for some time, forgive me for not telling you sooner." The way he says it, so matter-of-factly, makes them double take, half smiling, "you do?" He lowers his glasses down to the tip of his nose and makes eye contact with him "you don't believe me?" he asks, not sounding nearly as taken aback as he is. They wrinkle their nose, "I just didn't know that you could, I mean being who you are, I mean… let me take my foot out of my mouth for a second here and-" he cuts them off with a firm kiss and they stare at him, lips scarcely parted. "There's no foot in your mouth" he says and he walks on to catch up with Dogmeat, leaving the survivor blushing and bright-eyed.


	22. Round four of requests

Pining after Sole:

Cait: She's got a mad thirst going on just to touch Sole; brushing hair behind the ear, a gentle squeeze of the arm, their hand on her lower back, anything. Whenever they pat her shoulder to congratulate her after a firefight or ask if she's okay she holds her breath to hide how much she enjoys it. She's way too embarrassed to actually tell them about her feelings, but she fantasizes about them often.

Curie: She intentionally will end up getting hurt just to have Sole nurse her to health. She goes as far as to fake injury just to have their hands on her, massaging a cramp out of her leg or wrapping a bandage over a 'sprang' wrist. Sole doesn't suspect it, but she gets off a little every time they take care of her.

Danse: He doesn't handle his longing very well, he makes eye contact for a moment too long or holds their hands as they flee from battle that's too heavy for the two of them, not letting go until they ask for their hand back. He just wants them to love him, but he's too much a nervous wreck if they so much as say his name with a smile on their face to even ask how they feel about him.

Deacon: He absolutely plays off his desire for them by drawing their attention elsewhere. If they get too close to him he feels himself slip into a mild state of euphoria; he takes in their scent, he notes their freckles or scars, he is even tempted to reach out and touch their face but they move away just in time for him to gain restraint. He wants to hold them close and breathe them in and fall in love but he's so unsure about trusting someone, even Sole.

Hancock: Instead of admitting how badly he wants Sole, he finds ways to put himself down. He'll talk about how bad he looks or how rough his hands are and Sole will only smile at him and disagree wholeheartedly, taking his hand and rubbing his skin and telling him to shut his mouth because he's perfect. This is all he wants, it's why he does it, for them to reassure him and it makes him crave them more, but he's too ashamed of himself to believe that they'd feel the same way.

MacCready: He's able to be comfortable around Sole for the most part but it's not until he develops feelings for them that he has a harder time being around them. He sort of pushes them away just to keep himself emotionally hidden and they notice right away. He wants to want them but he doesn't want to lose what he already has with them and doesn't really know what to do other than distance himself.

Maxson: He doesn't say or do anything about it, yet whenever Sole is near him he can't help but stare at them. He's very good at hiding his true feelings, but the fact that they make him want to touch himself bothers him. It almost stirs him enough for him to hold them back, keep them around after Danse is gone, talk to them privately, really get to know them- but he dismisses it, it's for his and Sole's own good.

Nick: He doesn't know what to do, he's mind's all blurred whenever he sees Sole that he has to force himself to talk just to occupy himself. If he didn't like being around them so much he'd find a way to excuse himself, but being around them just makes him feel like a person. He feels like he has all the potential to love unconditionally; if only he felt he could be loved he'd express his feeling. Until then, he's just as nice as he's ever been with an underlying hint that he hopes they pick up.

Piper: She spends hours trying to convince herself to speak up to Sole, going it over and over again, practicing what she'll say and what she hopes they'll say until Nat embarrasses her by laughing from her hiding place. She wants to tell them that she's fallen hard for them and wants to be with them always but she keeps psyching herself out, expecting rejection for a handful of reasons. She loves traveling with Sole and even daydreams that they're together as a couple but she's just too in her head to make it a reality.

Preston: He's professional about his relationship with his general and he's nothing if not the perfect gentleman about it. He never says a word about how he truly feels in fear that they'll feel awkward and it'll be unrequited and they'll spend less time with him. For now, it benefits him to keep his mouth shut because they spend all kinds of time together on various missions, and this is fine… for now.

X6: He doesn't know what he's feeling at first and decides it's indigestion until he notices it happens every time Sole is around, then he gets upset. He gets angry because this isn't supposed to happen, he's not supposed to feel this way and he can't get it out of his system. He tells Sole about it, about this sick feeling he gets when they're around and they are just as confused as he is; mostly because he describes it as "nauseating, harmful, tremors."

React to taking a shower at vault 81 with romanced sole

Cait:

She's apprehensive as Nora turns the shower on, letting the water pour over her arm and turning knobs until the temperature was just right. "Alright, get in" she said, holding the curtain open. Cait began walking towards the shower when Nora laughed softly; "you have to take your clothes off, babe." Cait blushed, she should have known that, she didn't know why she didn't think of that. Cait turned from Nora and started removing her clothes. As she turned back to Nora she covered herself and Nora furrowed her brow, "you don't have to cover yourself up in front of me." Cait sighed heavily and slowly let her arms fall to her side and Nora grinned, "you're beautiful Cait, now get in."

The water felt so good on her skin, she smiled and spun around a few times, "Nora, you've got to try this!" it didn't take much coaxing for Nora to join her. She lathered a bar of soap between her hands and started cleaning Cait's neck and shoulders; Cait couldn't fight the moan that escaped her, nothing had ever felt like this. Nora worked around to Cait's back where she couldn't reach, leaving a trail of kisses between her shoulder blades as the water rinsed her off. More than Nora's affection, Cait really enjoyed the shower, but she'd never tell her.

Curie:

**let's saaaay she goes back to vault 81. Just this once**

She knows exactly how these bad boys work and she's very excited to hop in the shower with Nora. At first Nora was going to sit outside and read a magazine, but Curie pulled her by the collar into the showers with her. "When I was a robot, I never got to experience a shower, you have no idea how ready I am for this" Curie said, nearly vibrating with anxiety. She jumps right under the water without even adjusting it and gets blasted with cold water, letting out a yelp. Nora laughs and fixes the water for her and slips her boots off followed by the rest of her clothing; this apparently takes too long because Curie reaches out and takes her by the wrist, pulling her in quickly. Nora's met with Curie's lips as she kisses her longingly and Nora pulls away laughing lightly.

For the most part Nora has to help Curie wash herself because she's too distracted trying to get Nora off. "Curie, hon, you're gonna lose the hot water if you don't start cleaning yourself." It's not much use as Curie pulls Nora in close and just feels her wet skin against hers. Nora can't complain, this closeness is pretty great, but sure enough the hot water is gone in a matter of time and they're both giggling wildly as they scurry out of the shower.

Danse:

It started with him watching her shower but soon he couldn't stay away. His intention was to touch her but the moment he felt the warm water he froze and grinned widely. Nora laughed, her fingertips trailing from his shoulders to his hands, "pretty nice, huh?" The Prydwen had showers, but they were never this consistently warm and he sighed happily. She scrubbed his scalp with her fingers and he moaned, sending electricity up her spine and she giggled mindlessly. As he rinsed the soap out she could swear she heard him purr, but once he turned to her he gave her quite a smile. He looked her up and down and pulled her to him with an arm around her waist and she gasped, opening her mouth enough for him to sneak his tongue in. She felt so good against him that he wanted to take her right there; and he would have if the water didn't suddenly become very cold. He winced at the effect it was having on him and he hurried out of the shower, still wanting his time with Nora.

Deacon:

He stands there in the warm water, lips slightly parted for at least five minutes before he starts using soap. Nora is lying on the long bench a few feet away, playing a game on her pipboy when he starts splashing her with water. "Deacon!" she nearly screams from the shock and he laughs as he just continues to send water flying at her. "Knock it off, Dee" she growled and he smiled at her, peeking around the shower curtain, "make me." She sat there, half thinking about it but decided to not to would be even more of a punishment. "Nice try" she said and she settled back down on the bench, getting back to her game. He loved the shower but knew that soon the cold water would hit so he wrapped it up.

Instead of putting on his clothes though, he stood over her, straddling her hips and she looked up at him unamused, "can I help you?" she asked, lifting a brow and he smiled down at her. "Yeah, I'm all wet, and you're all dry, I forgot a towel." Her face flattened and she shook her head, "don't you do it" she said firmly, but it was too late, he had dropped onto her and dried himself off on her, drenching her clothes and covering her with kisses. Eventually she laughed, "I'll murder you one of these days" he nodded and he walked towards the door, picking something off the ground. "Sure you will" he said, tossing her a towel before taking off at high speed as she ran after him.

Hancock:

It's a pretty cathartic for him, letting the water rush over him, washing away the grime of the wasteland; he'd call it a religious experience. Nora was reading about medical procedures done in the case of being bitten by a rattlesnake when she heard the curtain shift and she looked up at him. "Care to join me?" he asked, winking at her, hidden mostly behind the curtain and she rested the book on her chest. She sat up slowly and sauntered over to him, giving him a kiss on the cheek, "I'll be here when you get out." He grinned, secretly glad he got to spend more time with himself in the shower. She sat back on the bench, thumbing through the pages when he stepped out of the shower and took the book from her hand, dropping it next to her then pulled her up to stand with him.

He had an odd glow to him, must have been from being so clean, he kissed her over and over again and she giggled into his mouth. He pulled away and smiled at her, "what's so funny?" she wrinkled her nose and grinned, "you're all pruny." He curled his fingers into his hair and smirked darkly, "baby, I'm always pruny, you ought to know."

MacCready:

He's not particularly fond of taking the shower but Nora insisted it would do him some good to clean up. Nora stood on the other side of the curtain, digging dirt out from beneath her nails when she decided to join him, after all it would save water. He was surprised when he saw her appear and he got a real nervous look on his face when she moved closer to him. However, to his dismay she moved right past him and into the water where she began washing the dirt from her arms. She scrubbed hard and he watched as her skin reddened slightly; "hey, maybe don't beat yourself up, huh?"

Nora grinned over at him, "I didn't even realize, thanks" she said, easing up and tossing him the soap. He fumbled with it, unable to get a good grasp on it and finally he let it fall so he could pick it up. She sighed, watching the dirt run off her body in a satisfying, dark puddle. MacCready couldn't take his eyes off her and he nearly dropped the soap again before she took it from him, "let me help you." He tensed up as she worked the soap over his body, trying not to get too excited when she rubbed his thigh with her thumb. After she was done she pushed him under the water and watched as the filth left him.

"Better?" she asked, drying herself off once they were out of the shower. He nodded slowly, still focused on her body and finally she indulged him, letting her body glide against his and tugging on his lower lip between her teeth. He groaned, wrapping his arms around her, preventing her from backing up but she wiggled free. "We just got clean, Mac, save it." Giggling, she put her clothes on and left the room, leaving him to finish getting dressed.

Nick:

He didn't go in the shower with her, but she did him a favor and left the curtain open so he could watch. He thought Nora might think it was an odd request, but she was quick to oblige him and he was more thrilled than he let on. He loved her body, her entire being, watching her doing something so natural as bathing was the highlight of his day, maybe even his week.

"Would it be okay if you acted like I wasn't here?" he asked, almost afraid to say anything, but he had to know. She looked like she was deep in thought as she averted her eyes. He couldn't explain it, something about voyeurism made him heat up so intensely, he couldn't get enough. She continued showering, straining the suds from her hair and lathering more soap onto herself. She worked her hands over her breasts, down her stomach and, just to be cheeky, she turned slightly as she moved lower so that her hands were out of his line of sight. He clenched his jaw and leaned back, breathing heavily; she rinsed off before stepping out of the shower, eyes caught on his.

He stood up quickly, not letting her get to her towel, he wanted to feel her wet skin and she shivered from his touch casting sparks deep within him. He kissed her hard, tongue breaking into her mouth and she hummed, smiling against him as his hands canvassed her frame. "Nick, it's cold, why don't we take this somewhere else?" He didn't argue when she wrapped the towel around herself and lead him from the showers.

Piper:

She loved that shower, she relished every second of hot water she could take from it and once she was done she peeked over into the next shower where Nora was. "This is incredible, Blue, thank you for bringing me here!" Nora winked at her before turning around and washing her face. Piper's face fell as she took in the view of Nora's body, she hadn't seen her like this before and Nora didn't seem to mind. She gripped onto the tiled divider and sunk her teeth into her lower lip as she watched Nora from behind.

"Lose something over here?" Nora asked, turning back to Piper with the slyest grin and Piper blushed a deep red. "I uh… oh… uh" Nora laughed and made eye contact with Piper who quickly looked away in shame. "Pipe, you can look, I'm not gonna bite" Nora said, but Piper was undone with embarrassment, "I didn't mean to stare, Blue, I'm so sorry." Another laugh from Nora and Piper slipped out of the showers and started drying off; just when she thought she could blush any redder she turned to see Nora standing beside her with a thin-lipped grin.

"I don't mind you looking, but I do mind you _not_ staring" Nora whispered kissing Piper's cheek and feeling the warmth radiating from her face. Piper supposed she could afford to stare a little longer, a little more intently, she took Nora's body in and giggled to avoid how nervous she was, "lookin' good, Blue." There was a lump in her throat and she swallowing hard and hurried to get dressed but not without taking a few looks at Nora over her shoulder.

Preston:

As much as he was enjoying the shower, he was enjoying Nora's body against his even more. This was a very sensual experience for him, her skin was cool and the water was warm. She rested the back of her head on his shoulder and his hands caressed her belly as he grazed his lips over her neck. He didn't mind when the water started to lose its heat, he hardly noticed that he still had suds in his hair. He leaned back into the stream of water once he realized and the coolness gave him goose bumps.

Nora was smiling the whole time. They weren't doing much else other than standing there together but his hands on her were like magic. He made every part of her feel loved the way he covered her in kisses and held her close and whispered sweet nothings into her ear. He turned the water off but stayed there with her in his arms until she turned to face him. "You ready to get going?" she asked, her hands crept up his chest. He smiled, kissing her passionately and she felt chills roll over her body, "not just yet."

React to eating a food they hate (that sole loves)

Cait:

Her eyes water up as the warm mush rolls across her tongue. Sole is happily eating their portion of mirelurk cake but she would honestly rather die. She swallowed the mostly unchewed bite and sets down the plate, shoving towards Sole with the toe of her boot. "You don't like it?" Sole asks between bites and Cait knocks back a few swigs of whiskey. "I hate it" she said, shaking her head profusely. Sole only laughs and eats her serving, tossing her a carrot.

Curie:

She doesn't even get as far as chewing the yao guai meet before it falls from her mouth onto the plate. "This is terrible!" she says and Sole can't help but laugh, "it is a little gamey." Curie stands up and paces between Sole and the camp stove. "I need something to get the flavor from my mouth" she says, fanning herself and Sole gives her some gumdrops which she eats hurriedly.

Danse:

He grimaces as the mutfruit and finishes it quickly. Sole smiles at him, "I'm glad you-" Danse holds up a hand and shakes his head, "no." He scowls at the small pile of them sitting in front of Sole and he stands up, pushing his chair in. "No, that wasn't good. Never again" he says and Sole laughs as he walks away to find something better to eat.

Deacon:

He's not polite about it when he spits the deathclaw meat out next to him, " _ugh_!" Sole frowns, "that bad?" Deacon shakes his hands, lifting his eyebrows apologetically, "no, no, no, not your cooking, just the meat. Oh god. It's terrible. I'm sorry. Shit." He drinks down a carton of irradiated water to get the taste out of his mouth, disregarding the fact that they had perfectly good purified water.

Hancock:

He can't stand the texture of the omelet but finishes the bite and sets the fork down. "well, um..." Sole waits for him to finish his sentence but his face says it all. "You don't have to finish it" Sole says, smiling and he sighs with relief, "good because that was the worst thing I've ever had in my mouth." Sole raises a brow at him, thinking that surely he of all people has had worse things in his mouth; and he nods, eyes wide, "yeah, ever."

MacCready:

He's quick to finish the entire plate of yao guai ribs, but it's the glazed carrots he nearly throws up from. "I can't eat these" he says, letting the plate slip from his hands and he heaves. Sole sighs, "really? They're my favorite." MacCready grabs at his stomach and stands up, heaving again and Sole scoots away from him. He doesn't throw up, but he runs off just in case he does.

Nick:

He doesn't eat any of it, but the smell alone of the cooked cram makes him wince. "What is that?" he hisses, covering his nose with the crook of his arm. Sole pops another slice into their mouth and blinks at him curiously, "it's just cram, Nick." He makes a disgusted sound and leaves to get as far away from the smell as he can.

Piper:

She at least fakes it when she takes a bite of bloatfly meat; she screws up her face into a phony grin and pats her belly, "mm, so good, I'm so full though, darn!" Sole cackles and takes her plate, "it's an acquired taste" they say and she lets her tongue hang from her mouth, scraping it with her finger.

Preston:

He eats it because he knows he needs the energy, but he hates the radstag meat. He goes almost the entire dish without so much as a groan but then he grimaces as the last bite hangs on his fork. "Preston, if you don't like it don't eat it" Sole says and he chuckles. "Too late for that. I'm gald you have something you like to eat and that you shared it with me but… I'm vegetarian." Sole claps their hands to their mouth in horror and he just shakes his head with a smile, "this is the exception" he said before leaving to patrol.

React to tattooed Sole:

Cait: She'd totally be into them, reading into every inch of their body that's covered in ink. She'd ask about them, what made sole get them, what the story behind each one is, pick and choose favorites, etc. She's got a few makeshift tattoos that she's gotten over the years and so Sole asks her about hers too.

Curie: She makes up her own stories about them, fantastical stories about heroes and demons and nice spring outings. She asks about how it felt to get a tattoo and inquires about getting matching tats with Sole.

Danse: He likes looking at them, all the hard work that went into creating art like that on a body, it just inspires him. He wants to know why they got tattoos in the first place, saying that their body is already art and that they didn't need to improve it.

Deacon: He talks about them a lot, in fact Sole's tattoos are features in many of their conversations. He likes touching them, seeing if they feel like anything. He'd be so fascinated by sub dermal piercings, he seems like the textural type.

Hancock: He finds them very sexy, for Sole to have gone though that many hours under the needle shows they handle pain well and when he sees them each time he gets turned on. He's got his favorites, typically along Sole's sensitive spots like along the spine or the back of the legs and he likes to outline them with his tongue.

MacCready: He kisses each one individually every night. He knows that they have to be important to Sole for them to have them permanently drawn onto them, therefore they are just as important to him. He wants to know all about them and what each one means.

Maxson: Appreciates them silently, he doesn't ask about them, instead his mind wanders and he comes up with his own back story for them. He thumbs over them as the daydreams, letting his mind drift to a time before the war and what Sole must have looked like as they were getting worked on.

Nick: He doesn't really talk about them, but he thinks they look nice. He's not against tattoos, he's just not used to seeing so many on one person. He doesn't bring them up because he doesn't want to accidentally bring up old wounds.

Piper: She talks and talks and talks all about them, giving Sole her explanation on why she likes each one. She doesn't have a favorite because they're all her favorite. She's not a great artist, but she likes to draw them and she gets excited when Sole tells her how good her drawings look and how close the likeness is.'

Preston: He takes them all in, there's a lot to look at and he circles Sole slowly to makes sure he sees everything. He spends hours just looking at one, each one is so unique and so beautiful. He lies beside them, listening to them talk about each one and he thinks they're great.

X6: Comes off as indifferent but he really admires the physical strength it took to get all those tattoos. If he's feeling particularly curious he'll ask about them, but it's mostly to fill silence.

Sole attempting suicide (after the main quest)

Cait: She's disappointed at first but doesn't show it; she takes it personally and is a little down about it for a while, she assumes for a second that it's about her but she realizes that sounds shallow and stupid. Instead she consoles them, telling them that because they were willing to help her out of her predicament, she'd be there for them through thick and thin.

Curie: She's very scared and cries for them for a few weeks afterwards. She tries to talk to them, asking why they thought they needed to do it, why they'd even try. She wants to understand but she's just so heartbroken that they thought they were better off dead that it's hard for her to fully hear what they have to say. She stays with them and helps them work through the worst of it, but she feels useless.

Danse: he's also disappointed but more than that he's terrified they'll try it again. He's seen too many fellow brothers and sisters suffer from their own personal demons to let them go through it alone. He keeps a close watch on them and doesn't take an eye off them for longer than a minute. He worries about them so intensely that the survivor has to pull him aside and convince him they won't try it again, they promise him and he's still unsure but he trusts them. They're not surprised when he doesn't watch them any less closely but rather than get upset, they're just glad he cares.

Hancock: He gets a little mad; he tells them that they're too good to try to end their own life. He says that if it means that much to them to be dead he'd rather do it himself. He's only mad because he's heartbroken but he's not good at showing it. When he thinks they're not around he cries, he's scared he'll lose them and he hasn't forgiven himself for allowing them to think that they're better off. He blames himself for not building them up more and later on he apologizes for coming off so aggressively. He just replays the fact over and over again that he almost lost them forever.

MacCready: He takes it personally and they end up fighting about it because 1. It has nothing to do with him and their relationship and 2. They can't convince him of that. They have to have a long, drawn out, emotionally compromising talk about what really happened and it breaks his heart to know that they were so torn apart but didn't tell him how in pain they were. He doesn't know how not to make it about himself and it's very irritating to the survivor and there's no getting around it.

Piper: She's in shock and tries to console them to the best of her abilities but she's never had to deal with something like this before. Mostly she just tries to be there for them and waits on them hand and foot for about two weeks, giving them time to recover and tell her anything they want to, she doesn't pry. She wants to understand and she wants them to be okay but she doesn't know how to form words that would be remotely useful, but Sole understands.

Preston: He holds them and doesn't let go until they're ready for him to. He allows them to spend time on their own and come to him if they need to. He checks in every now and then to see how they're holding up and they can't really talk about it yet, but that's okay. He just smiles at them, nods and leaves them to their own devices. When they are ready to talk he's there to listen without judgment, after all, he's been there.

Strong: He is at a loss but he thinks about it in a way that no one else would. Sole is so strong that the only way that they can be killed is if they do it themselves. But then he wonders why they would want to die, and he asks them but he doesn't quite understand the meaning of loss.

X6: He's in quiet disbelief. He had already lost Father, he didn't want to lose them too. He feels strange and can't quite describe the odd combination of emotions. He's sad, but also relieved and a little ill and he can hardly stand. He tries to talk to them but he's so overwhelmed that he can't really say anything and somehow he finds himself crying. He doesn't understand why this is happening, he doesn't know how it's happening but he's stunned and the survivor feels for him. They know what's going and they try to tell him it will pass but he's stuck, he doesn't believe them, he doesn't know if this horrible feeling of sadness will ever end so they just hold him and they cry together.

Deacon: he doesn't want to come off as upset as he is, but he's very torn apart about it. He blames himself, he feels like if they would never have found the Railroad they wouldn't feel so compelled to do what was done. He tries only once to apologize but they don't blame him; it was on them, not him. He offers his shoulder to cry on and his company and that's really all they could ask for, that and time. He wants them to be happy again, but he knows that it's not going to happen overnight.

Nick: He feels bad, not because of anything he did or didn't do, but he can't help but feel sorry for them. He feels that their life is precious and that nothing should make them want to give that up. They decide to stay with him and not go on any missions until they feel well enough to give it a shot, but he welcomes them to stay. He gives them all the time they need, he brings them whatever they need from food to soap to a new outfit every week. He wants to do whatever he can to make them feel better again.

Maxson: He's unresponsive to them for a few days but comes to them on his own terms. He talks with them for a long time, finally convincing them to see the doctor and talk with them if they need to. He then declares that this is an order. He comes off as standoffish but he is truly deeply concerned and doesn't want to lose them. He never wants to come that close to losing them again.


	23. listening to the Hi Honey tape

So… I thought it might have more depth if the companions heard the voice of the same sex spouse on the holotape but… maybe I'm wrong? I mean maybe it doesn't matter? Idk… anyway

Cait:

She scowls deeply as she finds the holotape marked as "hi honey" in Nate's dresser and she glances over to him. He's asleep on his side; he had let her play with his pipboy because she had a hard time falling asleep, usually the games kept her busy until she was tired enough to doze off. She held the holotape in her hands and turned it over a few times, thinking deeply about who might have given this to him, no one would be safe calling him honey but her. As she slipped the holotape into the player she listened with the volume turned down low.

As Nora's voice sounded from the pipboy Cait covered her mouth, her eyes widening. She had forgotten that he had been married before. Her voice was so full of love and Cait felt her eyes watering up. She couldn't listen to the whole thing, she pulled the tape from the pipboy and replaced it in the drawer. If she couldn't slepp before, there was no way for her to sleep now. She sat there in silence with her knees tucked tightly against her chest and she cried. She shouldn't have meddled, shouldn't have been so curious, shouldn't have listened in on Nate's past life.

Her eyes slid over to him; he was breathing steadily, totally unaware that she had pried into his past and oblivious to her growing sadness. She didn't know why she was reacting so harshly but soon she was sobbing. Nora loved him so much, he had a family that loved him and now he was with her. She didn't deserve him after everything he had been though, as much as she loved him she was concerned that it wouldn't be enough, that he'd never love her as much as he loved Nora.

Nate stirred and turned to look at her, sitting up quickly to comfort her. "Cait, hey, shh, it's okay, what's the matter?" He wrapped his arms around her, trying to still her, assuming it was another night terror, but she sobbed harder, shaking furiously. He swept hair from her face and thumbed tears from her cheeks trying to get a better look at her, "Cait, it's okay, I'm here" he soothed. She couldn't be calmed, something in her broke and he realized that she needed to ride it out, he held her against him and her forehead rolled on his shoulder as she cried.

This went on for over an hour, which was something he was used to when she awoke in the middle of the night, ghosts of her past haunting her mind. This, he thought, was no different, and though he was tired, he stayed awake to console her. After 3 in the morning she finally wore herself out and fell asleep in his arms, he gently laid her back and pulled the covers up to her shoulders. Exhausted himself, he returned to sleep fairly quickly after she passed out.

The next day he watched with dismay as Cait stayed in bed for most of the day. She wasn't asleep, nor was she sick, but she couldn't will herself out of bed. She sighed when she felt the bed sink under his weight and he put a hand on her shoulder. "Cait, can we talk?" He rubbed her shoulder a little, but she didn't react, so it startled him when she sat up quick and faced him.

"Will you ever love me as much as you loved her?" Her voice was cold and it cut him like a knife. There was silence, he looked hurt, but she looked on the verge of tears. He held his hand to her cheek, she was burning up. "Cait-" his lack of explanation forced a strained sound from her throat and the tears welled up in her eyes again as she pulled her face from his hand.

"Cait, listen to me. I love you so much, you know that. Nora will always have a place in my heart but she's gone." He was quiet for a moment, fixing his gaze on the blanket bunched up around her legs. "She's gone and I need you here with me" he looked up at her and saw her eyes resting on the drawer beside the bed and he realized then what had brought this on.

"I need to know if you love me like you loved her. I need to know if you really love me." She sounded desperate and it made his insides coil and heat uncomfortably. He tangled his fingers in hers and smiled, "Cait, I love you more than anything and anyone, why else would I remind you of that every day?" He turned the ring on her finger and chuckled in his throat, "I wouldn't give this to just anyone. You're so important to me."

She leaned into him finally and smiled weakly, "I love you too" she said finally and he sighed. "Let's go get you some food, I'm sure you're hungry" he said, pulling her out of bed, taking note of her smile and feeling himself easing up significantly.

Curie:

She insists on listening to the tape, even though Nate is quite sure she won't like what she hears. "Nate, please, I'm not a fool, I know she was your wife… I just want to know what she sounded like." He stopped to consider what she was suggesting and she smirked at him, sensing that he was about to give in and he sighed heavily. "Curie, I don't know if this is a good idea" he said finally, his eyes looked sad, but they didn't match his apprehensive tone.

She took his hand and gripped it tightly, bringing it to her lips but not quite kissing it. "Nate, please" her breath stung his knuckles and he dropped his eyes to the ground beside her. He took back his hand and loosened the pipboy from his arm then handing the devise to her along with the tape. "Go ahead, I'll wait over there" he said, sauntering off towards the outside bar.

Curie held the pipboy in her hand and sat in the middle of the old road as she listened to Nora's voice. She sat there for a long time after the tape ended, the woman's voice still reverberating in her head. She was at a loss, there was something that she couldn't describe transpiring in her mind and she looked around for Nate to return the pipboy. Once she found him, his smile was met with a straight face.

"Are you okay, Curie?" he asked, slipping the pipboy back onto his arm and tightening the straps. She chewed on the inside of her cheek, she really didn't know what she was feeling but it was making her pleasant demeanor less pleasant. Nate put a sturdy hand on her shoulder and she looked him in the eye "can we talk privately?"

She led him to the edge of town near the old Sanctuary sign and the wind blew at her cheeks leaving them flushed and cold. "What was she like?" she asked him once he caught up and he crossed his arms. He was quiet, studying her closely, the look on her face was curiosity meshed with subtle anger. "Curie, why the sudden interest with Nora? What's this about?"

Her brow furrowed and her hands at her side balled into fists, "tell me" she huffed. Nate groaned, he didn't know what her deal was but he shook his head and shrugged. "She was beautiful and strong, she was smart… so smart. She was funny and bold, though not very brave. She had a bit of a temper, but when she was happy everything was right with the world." He fell silent and Curie stared at him, it was her turn to study his face; he didn't look upset, he didn't look sad, he looked lost. She stepped towards him until they were chest to chest.

"Do you miss her?" she asked, it was more of a demand that he answer, her voice was like steel. "Everyday" he answered honestly and her eyes darted over his face, he held her arms loosely. "Curie, talk to me" Nate whispered and she shook "I love you" she said, finally. He smiled, "I love you too but-" "I LOVE YOU" she said again, much louder and he chuckled nervously. "Curie, I-" she pushed him and he stumbled back a few feet, looking confused. The wind whipped wildly around them.

"I LOVE YOU, NATE" she almost shouted, walking quickly to him and grabbing onto his shoulders, pulling him into a rough kiss. He was taken aback and totally puzzled; once she broke away he saw that she was red and panting. She went to kiss him again but he stopped her, holding her face firmly, "Curie, stop."

She crumbled to her knees, nearly in tears but she never fully got to crying, Nate dropped to hold her. "She can't have you, I love you, you're mine!" Nate felt his chest tighten and his ears rang loudly. "She can't, you're right, I'm yours and you're mine" she whimpered and he held her tight against him. "Don't worry Curie, I'm not leaving you, not now, not ever. I love you too" he didn't know it was like this, they'd have to talk and she'd have to understand that he wasn't going anywhere.

Danse:

He admits that he was a little curious if not flat out nosy when he digs through Nora's pack and finds the holotape. He stares at it in his hands and he looks over at her, she's eating a bowl of noodles at the bar. He taps his fingers on his chin before he quickly stands up and leaves the hall to his quarters, playing the tape on his terminal. He should have known what to expect but nothing could have prepared him for the pain he felt in his chest.

He could hear Nora the moment she pushes his door open, but he can't face her. He feels guilty for going through her things but at the same time he's mildly upset. He ejects the tape and sets it on the desk, turning in his chair to look at her. Her arms are crossed and she's leaning against the doorway, but his face is cold.

"Why do you have this?" she raises a brow and takes a step forward, "I could ask you the same thing, Danse." He scowls and stands up, taking a step towards her in turn. "Do you still love him?" each word feels like a knife at her skin, her lips purse. "That's a loaded question" she said softly, keeping eye contact with him and his jaw tightened.

"Do you love me?" he asked, a faint hint of doubt escaping him and her heart hurt, "of course I love you." His breath hitched at her words and she closed the distance between them and kissed his temple. "Danse, you know full well that I love you. You have no reason to think otherwise." He held onto her, listening to her breathe, "but do you still love him?"

She sighed and settled against him, her hands pressed on his chest between them. "I love the memory of him, yes. But it's different with you. I love you so much. I love that you're here, I love that you love me, and I know you know that."

He closed his eyes and kissed her forehead; he knew she was being truthful and he loved her so much. Yet there was a pained worry that hung over his head and no matter how hard he tried he couldn't force the worry away. "Nora" he said quietly and she looked up at him, not smiling, but not with any particular expression either.

"I need you to get rid of it" he said, wincing, knowing that it was a tall order for her. She didn't say anything, she just stared at him, brain working hard behind her eyes. She blinked a few times, not responding, just staring and it made him upset, "Nora" he said again, this time impatience clear in his voice and she backed up, he let her.

"Why do you need me to get rid of it, Danse?" she asked, not sounding too upset, but definitely on the defensive. He took her hands but let his focus fall on the floor between them, "I don't know" he whispered; his body felt hot like he was on the verge of a breakdown. Just when he was about to drop it all together, just say never mind and leave it at that in order to avoid an argument, she squeezed his hands.

She could tell it meant a lot to him, it was important that she got rid of it. "Okay, I'll do it" she said; she dropped his hands and walked over to the desk. She picked up the tape, giving it a long look before dropping it to the floor and smashing it under her heel. Nate was dead, she had to move on, Danse held back his smile, but he was thrilled.

Deacon:

He lay there on his back near a stereo, listening to a few holotapes, mostly what Nora had recovered from dead drops, listening in to see if there were any clues about missing synths. He went through the small box and noticed one of the tapes didn't belong with the others, in fact he had no idea what it was or what it was about so he listened to it. Immediately he knew he'd made a mistake.

Nora was out on a mission for Tom and usually it took two days before she was back. He didn't know how he was supposed to process this, he felt like he had invaded her privacy and he felt bad. On top of that he was a little heartbroken, had she intentionally left the tape knowing that he'd listen to it? He was upset then, he wanted to know why it had been there, he wanted to know why after all this time she was still holding onto it.

He stewed in anxiety for the next day and a half until she got back and, instead of waiting for her to settle in, he practically ambushed her- it was something he realized only after it was already happening. "Can we talk" it was more of a statement than a question, and before she could agree to it, he took her by the hand and led her towards the escape tunnel. She didn't seem too flustered, that is until he took his glasses off and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Something up, Deacon?" He listened intently to her voice, trying to pick up on verbal inflections, a change in her tone, something, _anything_ to tell him that she knew.

"I don't know, Nora, is there?" He put his glasses back on and crosses his arms. Nora scowled and put her hands on her hips, "you wanna tell me what this is about?"

He sighed then took the holotape from his pocket, handing it over to her. She took it and her expression softened as she read the label. "Are you happy with me?" he asked, she looked back up at him and frowned, " _what_?"

He slid down against the wall and held his face in his hands, he had never fully admitted to her how in love with her he was, he always just assumed she knew. "I love you, Nora, and I'm afraid that you don't feel the same." She stared at him, the tape falling from her hand and she knelt in front of him.

"Deacon, I know that. I mean, everyone knows that. I love you too, but this? You're overreacting." He looked up over his hands and locked onto her eyes, "you do?" She laughed, putting a hand on his shoulder, "yes, I just figured we didn't need to say it. People don't go on for as long as we do without loving each other."'She palmed his cheek and leaned in to kiss him gently, "of course I love you."

He put his hand over hers, "so you didn't put that tape in with the others to upset me or anything like that?" She groaned and shook her head, "I didn't even know where I put it down. I hadn't thought about it since the day I got out of the vault. I mean Nate and I were married, sure, but I'm yours now, and I'm happy- even if we never say we love each other."

He chuckled and kissed her again, this one lasting a little longer. "I guess it's pretty dumb not to just say it, huh?" Nora shrugged, "as long as we both know"

Hancock:

He had listened to the tape several times, it had never upset him until that morning, though. He was wrapped around Nora, playing with her hair and nuzzling his cheek against her jaw, listening to her breathy laughs when suddenly he was hit by a wave of sadness. She still wore the wring on a chain around her neck and even though she said it was a reminder of her son, it caught the light just right and he thought of the life she had before she was with him.

He stopped moving and became heavy against her, the wind taken from his sails, and he sighed. She could tell something was wrong; he wasn't high so he wasn't coming down, but he was deflated. "John, what's the matter?" her voice was beckoning him back to reality, back to the present, but he couldn't be pulled away from this abyss. His breathing was shallow and his chest ached and the room felt cold and the world seemed to melt away leaving nothing but an endless empty void.

"JOHN" she was shaking him now, kneeling over him and his consciousness seemed to flicker a little, minutes had passed and she tried to get his attention over and over again. Suddenly he reached up and took the chain in his hand, pulling it from her neck with a quick yank. She gasped but she was more worried about him than her instant but mild pain. She watched him as he stared at the ring in his hand.

"You really love me, don't you?" he asked, his voice was very low, barely audible, and swelled with the onset of tears. Nora rested her hips over his and raised her brows. "Is that what this is about? That old ring?" She laughed and stood up, walking over to her dresser and digging through it for clothes. As she did so he couldn't take his eyes off the silver band, "he sounded like he loved you so much. He sounded like a good man. I don't deserve you, I'm not that good, I'm not like him, not enough for you."

She stomped back over to him and sat on the edge of the bed, taking his hand in hers, "are you just going to lay here and skulk all morning?" He covered his eyes with his other arms and sighed shakily, she massaged his hand and watched his face. "I love you every day," she said, her thumb made small circles in his palm, "and every day I love you a little more."

He made a quiet sound but it was eerily close to a whimper, she never knew him to make such a noise. "Do you believe me?" he shook in his core and Nora put one hand on his chest, the other took his harm from over his eyes and lightly kissed the corner of his mouth. "Yeah" he said finally and she smiled brightly at him "and I love you too" he said, kissing her again.

She looked at him for another minute before taking the ring from him and holding up another ring in her other hand. He watched her closely, anxiety bubbling over in him, "I think" she said, tucking both rings into the palm of his hand and closing it around them, "that it's time for something new." She stood up and left the room after that, he couldn't pick up on her heightened nervousness, but in his mind the entire idea of Nate disappeared and he thought only of Nora, making her happy, being better for her, becoming the man that she deserved.

MacCready:

It was a full blown accident, he thought he was popping in zeta invaders but it was a mistake. He pops the tape out immediately and looks over at Nora; he's red in the face embarrassed. However, she's out cold, it was a rough day and she needed the nap, he hesitates. There was a man's voice on the tape, he called her honey, he sounded happy. His eyes rested on Nora but his mind was on Nate; after a few minutes he decided he needed to listen to the full thing.

She woke up and watched him, quietly and full of anticipation; she wasn't upset that he had been snooping, but she was curious about his reaction. She couldn't see his face and she dreaded that it would cause an argument, but then the tape clicked out of the device and she heard him sniffle.

He jumped as she put her other hand on the middle of his back and he sat up and stared at her with his lips parted. "I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to, I mean I thought… I'm sorry Nora." His face was red and splotchy and wet, he had been crying. Nora sat up and brushed her hands over his face to dry his eyes, "hey, RJ, it's okay, I'm not mad, don't worry about it."

He held onto her shirt tightly and buried his face into her shoulder, his body rocked as he cried, "Nora, I'm sorry you lost him, you meant so much to him, you must have loved him so much" she had to piece his words together as most of them were drowned in sobs. She wrapped her arms around him and let him cry it out. "It's true, we were in love, but that was hundreds of years ago" she tried to come off as soothing, but she was worried she'd sound irritated.

"You know about loss, Rob, you had Lucy, I'm sure I'll never hold a candle to her." He froze for a moment and shot back, sitting up straight and scowling. "Don't you ever say that" he said, finding her hands and entwining his fingers with hers. "You mean so much to me, I love you more than I can ever say, you gave my son a second chance at life, I owe you everything." Nora smiled but only after she tore her eyes from his.

"I love you, okay? I can lose the tape if you want" he shook his head adamantly. "Please don't" he said, drying his face with the back of his hand, "you should keep it. Hold on to what you can of the people you love." She kissed him on the cheek and laid back down, he joined her after a moment, cuddling against her before falling asleep.

Nick:

He sits there alone in his office, trying to go over a hundred possibilities of how the next ten minutes will go. They've had this talk before, each time it goes wrong, ends up a fight, they go days without talking and then, then there was the door. Nora wrung her hair out onto the floor and sat opposite to him, setting her Silver Shroud hat on the desk. The fact that smoke hung thick in the air should have been a sign that something was up, but she ignored it.

"Nick, what's the problem? How did you get word all the way over to Sanctuary without even leaving the building?" He lit up another cigarette as his previous one sat in the dish still smoldering. Nora glanced at the ash tray, there had to have been at least three packs worth of butts.

"I'm a resourceful guy" he let the smoke leave his mouth without effort, he wasn't taking his eyes off hers, even though she wasn't looking into his. She felt him staring, burning holes into her retinas, finally she couldn't take it anymore and she slammed her hand on the desk. "Dammit, Nick, talk to me" he didn't even flinch, though he didn't expect it.

"I want to talk about Nate" Nora groaned, standing up so fast she nearly knocked over the chair. "We can't keep doing this, Nick, you've got to let the dead stay dead" Nick pulled open his drawer and tossed the holotape onto the desk. Nora stared at it, flashing her eyes from him to the tape and then back. "Nick, where did you-" "You left your bag here last time, so I guess it's you who needs to let the dead stay dead."

Nora grabbed the holotape and threw it with all her might at the wall behind him, it shattered. He blinked at her, somewhat surprised this time. She put her hands on the desk and leaned forward, just inches from his face, "if you go looking for reasons to leave me, look no further, I'll make it easy for you. This is the last time, Nick, the last fucking time. You have a decision to make, either you learn to trust me like the man you claim to be or you let me walk out that door for good." Nick smothered his cigarette and stood up, she straightened up as he rose; he walked around the desk until he was beside her and she turned to him. He grabbed her a little too tightly by the arms and cleared his throat.

"Let me make this perfectly clear, toots, I'm not some play thing that you can throw away. You're the one who needs to decide, and I mean right now" his fingers dug into her skin, she'd end up bruising, "if this is what you want because this is what you signed up for."

She bit back tears; she truly loved him but he had changed, he became obsessed with the idea of Nate, he grew jealous of a dead man. Nora clenched her teeth and pushed him back, separating them by a few feet. There was a long period of silence before she finally succumbed to a single tear.

"Do you even love me anymore, Nick? Or has this become just another case for you?" Her words meant to cut him and they did, deep, he caught himself. He had a moment of clarity and he had to really think about what she said. She was right; it had been moths since he thought of anything but catching her messing up, weeping over Nate or playing with his ring or anything like that. When he found the holotape he was excited, as if he had found a clue to use against a criminal.

He had been glaring at the floor, thinking for longer than she thought he needed to, her body started to get cold. "Answer me, Nick, do you love me?" He finally brought his focus back to her, she was wounded inside and out by this and he felt bad, but not really. She couldn't do this, not again, she nodded, accepting his silence.

"Goodbye, Nick" she said, grabbing her hat and leaving out into the rain, slamming the door behind her. _She'll be back_ , he hoped, _she always came back_. but this time, he knew that she wouldn't be.

Piper:

She's a snoop, it's nothing new, so when she snoops into Nate's belongings she can't help but be overwhelmed by curiosity. "Hey, Blue, what's this tape about?" she decides it would be better to ask for permission than forgiveness just this once. Nate comes into the room from working on his power armor, cleaning his hands with a rag, and looks at the holotape.

He grimaces at it then looks at her, "it's Nora" he says, not shying away from her question. Her smile falls and she stares at it, "would it be okay if I listened to it?" He cupped her cheek, letting his fingers play with her earlobe, "you can, but are you sure you want to?" she looked into his eyes and saw how he looked at her, like he was trying to protect her from something.

"I love you, okay? I'm not worried if you aren't" she said, smiling after a while and he dropped his hand and nodded. "Alright then, Pipe, I'll be just outside when you're done if you want to talk" he stuffed the rag into his back pocket and went back out of the room. Piper walked over to the terminal at her desk and popped the tape in.

It wasn't long before she was a teary-eyed mess; not only did she listen to it all the way through, but she listened to it multiple times. She rested her arms on the desk and hid her face in them as she cried, hoping Nate wouldn't come back in to see her like that. She heard him whistling outside, still banging around on the power armor station and she tried to compose herself but it was no use. She did not hear kindness like that in the wasteland, no one said anything that conveyed so much love in so few words. Her chest cramped as she heaved and sobbed, his whistling stopped and she couldn't get herself together in time.

"Oh, Piper, come here," he said, sitting on the edge of the bed. She rushed into his arms and cried on his shoulder while he pat her gently on the back and rocked her. This went on for a while, and he wasn't too fazed by it, she was a very emotional person, it was bound to be all tears after what she put herself through.

"You want to talk about it?" he asked after she seemed to be calming down a bit. She moved slowly away from him and he continued rubbing her back as consolation. She wiped her face with the back of her sleeve and took several shallow breaths

"How are you able to be with me after losing someone like her?" Her face was red and he kept a very neutral face to try to calm her. "You're not so different, Piper, you have that same want to make the world a better place, even starting with me." She laughed and her expression lightened a bit until she was almost smiling, "you're not just sayin' that are you? You really mean it."

Nate nodded, sweeping hairs from her damp face, "and I love you, that's got something to do with why I'm with you." She smiled now, leaning her head against his chest for a brief second, trying to hide shyly. "I love you too" she said, sitting up straight again and dabbing her eyes. "Thanks for letting me listen to that" she said after a long several minutes of silence while she recovered herself. She felt like he put a lot of trust in her, and she'd remember that.

Preston:

He hears it when Nora listens to it the first time, they share the experience together. She covers her mouth with a hand and stares at the light on her pipboy giving her eyes a glazed over look. Preston is watching her closely, his hands gently squeezing her knees as she sits in front of him on the patio. He hears Nate's voice and a pit grows in his stomach, the sound of his voice is enough to cause Nora to double over in muffled sobs, surely she still misses him.

As the tape ends and it ejects itself her arm swings freely to the concrete beside her and the other is still concealing the shock on her face, she's bent over her knees. Preston presses his forehead to the top of her head and massages her scalp with his hands on the sides. He was there for her, he didn't know fully what she was going through, but he could see that she just needed a minute.

He wanted to pull her in close and tell her it was going to be okay and that he was there for him, but he wanted to give her at least this much space. His hands moved back to clasp loosely around the back of her neck and he pressed a kiss to the crown of her head, leaving his lips there and resting the weight of his head on them. He didn't care how long it took, he wanted to make sure that she was going to be okay, and that she knew he was there for her.

Eventually, she was quiet, not quiet paying attention to anything and more than likely tuning things out entirely and just focusing on breathing and blinking. She started to sit up and Preston sat back, his back a little sore from being in such an awkward angle but he moved slowly enough to not hurt himself.

"Preston" she said, ever so softly, searching for his eyes. He moved a hand under her chin and the other took her hand. She rested against his hand and blinked slowly, "are you okay?" he laughed but it was stuck in his throat. After all she had just been through emotionally and mentally, she first thought of him, making sure he was still comfortable, but he knew what he was getting into.

"I'm fine, Nora, are you okay?" she sighed and attempted a smile only to break back into a solid frown. "You don't have to be okay right away, Nora, you've been through so much, lost so much, there's no way I expect you to be alright after that, then this? Take all the time you need." She pulled her mouth into a more shallow frown, her face contorting into a faulty scowl, her lips quivered.

"I've gotten so lucky; finding you, of all people, what are the odds?" her voice was shaky when she spoke, but her words struck him deep. She kissed him softly and the corners of his mouth twitched into a grin, showing teeth as she pulled away, "I guess we're both pretty lucky."


	24. Nate getting kidnapped

So I've written and re-written this three times.

Cait:

They should have known better than to set up camp too close to the city. It was late and they're tired, but they should have gone somewhere safe. Cait wakes up to see that Nate's not beside her; at first she thinks he's probably using the bathroom somewhere, but he's not back after over ten minutes. Ten minutes turns into an hour which turns into another half hour, the sun gets pretty high before she realizes that he's not coming back.

She sits there for a long time before she can't handle the wait anymore and she jumps to her feet and arms herself. A million things are going through her mind; this is the first time she's been truly alone since he took her contract. Did he leave her there on purpose? Was this his way of ending their relationship? She starts to get worked up; shallow breaths, flushed face, her chest tightens. She looks around and notices his armor is still neatly piled next to his bedroll and there's a small scribbled note on top. Why she hadn't noticed it before is beyond her but she reads over it quickly, then rereads it several times.

 _Bring 400 caps to Corvega by sundown or the vault suit gets it._

She panics, between the two of them they had plenty of caps, why didn't they just rob him and leave him there? On her own she had barely 200 caps. She paces for a few minutes; upset that she had taken so long to find the note, terrified that so much time had already passed, upset that she was such a heavy sleeper, and so on. She had no time to punish herself over what had happened, she had to work quickly or they'd kill him.

She took a few grazing shots to the arms and a really good one in her thigh but taking out the raiders was easy work. Nate was sitting up in the tower above the factory, hands bound behind his back. Cait had taken enough med-x to not feel the pain in her leg which otherwise would have stopped her completely. The moment she saw him she collapsed and he fussed over her.

"Cait, shit, are you okay? I didn't expect anyone to come, thought I'd have to talk my way out of this." She shot him a look of resentment but more than that she was just glad to see him alive. She sat there for a minute, resting on her legs and slithered over to untie him.

"Thanks for rescuing me" he said, kissing the side of her head and hugging her tightly. She groaned and he released her to check out her wounds. The one in her leg would have to wait for a more experienced physician, but the most he could do for her was bind it in cloth. She was just glaring hard at him, but he didn't seem to be bothered by this, he was just happy to see her, happy that she saved him, happy it was her.

"I love you, Cait, I'm sure you know that plenty by now, but I love you" he kissed her again and he finally stood up. Her expression softened and she stood up slowly, keeping the weight off her bad leg. He scooped her up into his arms bridal style and though she put up a small fight she made peace with it and let him carry her. "I love you too" she said, the med-x finally catching up to her and making her tired.

After she was all patched up in Diamond City, she didn't let Nate live it down, she went around and playfully told the other companions that she had to save him from the big bad raiders. He let her talk, he owed it to her, and he was grateful.

Curie:

They were in the midst of a standoff with super mutants when she realized they were really over numbered. They were coming from all directions, pouring from buildings, coming from the walls, there were just too many and the two of them were taking a lot of damage. Nate was down on one knee, his only cover was a small post, Curie was on the other side of the street, she had significantly more cover but she was open from behind.

That's when she felt a large rough hand grab her by the hair and shout out, she screamed from shock and pain. "That's enough, we leave now!" the mutant called out to the others and the gunfire stopped ant they gathered around Curie and the mutant that had captured her. Nate raised up his rifle and started shooting at them though with newfound fury.

"Take me instead!" he shouted, his aim trained on the biggest one. There was a lot of low grunting before Curie's captor threw her towards him and they all aimed their weapon at Nate. "New human come instead" one of them said. Curie screamed and ran towards Nate, pushing him backwards slightly, "no, Nate, you can't go with them" she begged. Nate put his weapon in her hands and kissed her forehead. "Don't worry about me" he said finally as he walked towards the horde of mutants with his hands on his head.

They held him at gun point as they made their way through the city. Curie fought back most of the tears though some escaped, there was no way she'd just leave him to die. She followed them at a safe distance which was easy because they were hard to lose being as big as they were. She was pretty stealthy when it came down to it and she was able to track them all the way to Faneuil Hall where a suicide stalked around in the front.

An idea passed through her mind, she only had one shot but she had to take it. She saw that Nate was trailing behind a little and he wouldn't be too banged up from the blast. She drew in a deep breath but then doubt struck her; if she missed and they heard the shot they could kill Nate. She held the breath and took aim at the walking nuke. She pulled the trigger as she exhaled

The first shot missed by about three feet so she shot again just as the super mutants started to look around and prepare for a battle. The second shot struck the nuke with deadly accuracy and an explosion shook the ground, killing over half of the mutants. This was enough to distract the rest until Nate started shooting at them with a pistol and Curie joined in, still in awe that she was able to pull that off.

Once the last enemy was dead Curie ran out from her hiding spot, leaping into Nate's arms "I was so worried about you" she said, breathing heavily." Nate held her close, smiling wider than he thought possible, "that was really impressive" he said and she pulled away to look at him. "It really was, wasn't it!" worry was wiped from her face almost immediately and replaced by pride. She wasn't much for bragging, and she liked to be modest, but she was pleased when Nate told whoever would listen about how she took out a handful of super mutants in two shots.

Danse:

It was an ambush, before anyone could really understand what had happened Nate was gone and a handful of attack dogs were released unto the police station. Rhys and Haylen had no problem handling the dogs and it was the scribe that told Danse to go on.

"Just bring him back, sir, we can take care of ourselves" she insisted and Danse gave a curt nod as he slipped through the back alley behind the station. He knew most of the area pretty well, well enough to know that ferals were all over the place- he was counting on that fact. Nate was capable of taking out a few raiders if most of them were occupied with the ghouls.

Why they chose to take Nate instead of attack them he didn't understand, but he knew how shifty the enemy was. They were drugged out and fickle and if anything they were more trigger happy than most. It was likely that Nate let himself be taken so that the group of raiders didn't attack the rest of his team. As Danse hustled to catch up he heard the soldiers at the police station firing off a few more staggered rounds before it fell silent. He was confident that they handled the dog problem and so now his mind went to Nate.

If there were still ghouls he wanted to avoid them, but it was hard to track the raiders since they went through the city while he went around. Going in would be a risk, but it was a risk he'd have to take. Taking a deep breath and readying his weapon he took the next right between two destroyed businesses and crouched down in search of any movement. There was nothing, no ghouls, no raiders, no Nate.

 _They must have moved further in,_ he thought and he ran as quickly as his power armor would allow into the depths of the city. It wasn't long before he came to the raider camp where he hunkered down and watched patiently. There were more than five, but there couldn't have been more than ten, eight at most. Easy.

He snuck around, trying to mindful of the frag mine that sat a few yards in front of him, and tried to get a look at Nate. They had already started roughing him up; he had a fat lip, a few tears in his shirt, and a bloodied brow. Danse waited there for what seemed like three hours, and might have actually been about two and a half before he moved closer. He disarmed the mine and stayed at that smot for another few minutes.

By that time it was getting dark, in another half hour the sunset would dissolve into night. He watched their movements carefully and when the time came, when he finally had them all figured out, he started taking them out. He was not stealthy about this. The first two kills were more or less from the shadows but after he was sure their attention was on him and not on Nate, he went in guns blazing.

Nate watched with a mixture of admiration and adoration as Danse shot down and killed the rest of the raiders while only taking minimal damage to himself. The power armor would need some repairs, definitely, but he himself was no worse for wear. Danse hurried up to Nate who was kneeling on top of a set of stairs with his hands bound. Once untied Nate stood against Danse, his head tucked under his chin and he sighed with relief, "what took you so long?"

Danse had to laugh, "I had eyes on you the whole time, you weren't worried were you?" Nate shook his head, standing back to get a good look at Danse's busted up suit.

"Not for a second."

Deacon:

"Listen to me, Deacon" Nate's voice was firm when it ought not to be. Deacon had listened to the holotape twice now and he clenched his jaw at this part every time. His kidnapper must have hit him with the butt of a gun or something because there's a thump followed by a pained groan.

"I'm assuming they want money. It's always money, has been even before the war. Hopefully you get this, I don't know what they're planning or how intelligent these merc sons of bitches actu-" another hard knock and a louder groan. Nate laughed darkly and sighed, Deacon could almost see him in his mind's eye.

"Read the script, asshole" it was a threat but Nate responded as Deacon knew he would which made him even more mindful of the situation.

"Yeah yeah, alright. Shit. Bring eight hundred caps to the Hagen red rocket. One man, no guards, no back up. See, I told you it was money. You don't have to bring money, Dee, just take these bastards out."

The tape cut and he set out again. He had stopped a few times, each time somewhere he knew he'd be able to listen to the tape. He was a quarter of a mile outside of Hagen and he had no intention of giving the gunners any caps. He wasn't the best shot but he did pride himself on his stealth. The moment he saw movement he knelt and armed himself with a sniper rifle.

He smiled to himself, thinking about how impressed Nate might be for a bunch of gunners to drop around him without any sign of him. The first shot was a direct hit and brain matter exploded from the gunner. It had alerted the others, Deacon saw quite a few of them, but he couldn't count how many he saw. He was able to shift slightly between shots so that he was well hidden, but he didn't hit his mark every time.

As the enemies swarmed around, it felt almost unfair, like shooting fish in a barrel. Soon there were a more manageable amount and he traded the sniper rifle for a pistol. He stood up and walked towards them, readying to shoot once he got closer. When they realized he was the one that had killed the others they went berserk and started attacking him. There were only three, they didn't stand much of a chance and went down quickly.

Deacon listened closely to the silence and he took careful steps around the corpses until he reached the gas station entrance.

"Nate, you in here buddy?" it was quiet for a minute and Deacon took a few more light steps.

"You didn't give them any caps did you?" Deacon laughed dryly as he made his way towards where it sounded like Nate was.

"Since when are you so worried about spending caps, I think we pay you pretty well." Nate made a noise similar to a deflating balloon and Deacon finally reached him. The gunners hadn't touched him, typically they were good on their word and this seemed to prove it. He smiled down at Nate and holstered his weapon.

"I'm thinking we should leave you tied up like that a little longer" there was a hint of playfulness in his tone but his expression didn't change. Nate grinned and looked up at him, sitting back on his heels.

"If you don't untie me I'll kill you myself" he said with a wink. They walked back to the railroad with Nate's hands free at his sides.

Hancock:

"If you wanted my attention, you didn't have to go and get kidnapped," Hancock said, pulling at the rope around Nate's wrists and having a good laugh. Only two hours earlier he was more worried than he thought he could be about a person.

He was lounging around in Goodneighbor, enjoying a mid afternoon nap to sleep off his jet high when Fahrenheit woke him with a start.

"Boss, it's Nate" she said, shaking his shoulder until he woke up. He rolled over and looked at her with the most dazed look on his face

"Nate? What about him?"

She crossed her arms and blew her hair out of her face, "a courier just dropped off a note, I don't know, but it doesn't look phony to me." Hancock sat up and took the note in one hand, rubbing the side of his head with the other. A headache was starting up and it was about to get worse. He couldn't focus on the words as he read them and finally shoved the paper back at Fahrenheit

"Will you read this shit please, I can't even think" he rubbed his temples with his thumbs as his face sunk into the rest of his hands.

" _We have Nate, bring us chems and caps. The hub._ That's all it says."

He didn't even have to think about it, he was across the room still putting on his hat and coat before he remembered that he had a nagging headache. He didn't normally do psycho, but it had its uses, he actually couldn't think of a better use than this. He didn't want to kill anyone that day, but there was no way he was going to oblige anyone who would steal someone so important to him.

He stood outside of the hub, head throbbing with pain. He sighed, feeling more irritated than anything; he knew Nate was fine, he was more than capable of taking out whoever was dumb enough to kidnap. He took out the psycho and gave it a good shake

"Alright assholes, wrong day" He injected the chem and lost control along with lucidity. Everything was loud, annoyingly loud; also it was entirely too bright, but it was all a blur. What followed he could only assume was violence, murder, absolute carnage.

"John, come on" Nate's voice sounded so far away, but he knew he could hear him.

"John, it's okay, take your time. You're safe now, they're all gone." Hancock went under a few times, losing consciousness for about an hour. When he finally woke up his headache was mostly gone, but what remained was awful.

"There he is" Nate said, his voice was comforting and Hancock sat up to see that he was beside him. They shared a brief moment of silence where they smiled at each other

"Let me get that knot for you" he said finally and scooted behind him, the rest of his headache melting away.

MacCready:

It was late, the sun had been gone for hours now and they were asleep peacefully when there was a rustling and muffled groans. MacCready was awake in an instant but they were already surrounded. Nate was being held at knifepoint and Mac had his rifle in his hands in under two seconds.

"Don't do it Mac, look around you" Nate said, struggling against the blade at his throat. MacCready didn't lower his weapon, he only trained his sights on the raider's head.

"I can take the shot Nate, just say the word" he felt his pulse in his ears as he let his finger slide over the trigger.

"Just let them take me or they'll kill us both, think about it" a thin line of red became visible as Nate became still. "It'll be okay" he said quietly, trying to sooth MacCready into dropping his aim. He didn't want to do it, he knew he had a clear shot, without a question, but Nate was right they were surrounded. Slowly he let the weapon fall to his side and the raiders laughed as most of them took off, hauling Nate with them. The eye contact between him and Nate lasted until the light from his pipboy had disappeared.

A few raiders stuck around to make sure he didn't follow too closely. One by one they took off until only one was left with him. If it weren't for how loud the raider was breathing, Mac might not have known anyone was still there.

"What do you want from us" MacCready spat, his hands were shaking, he was ready to kill. The raider must have been voted to do the job, they must have known this poor bastard was going to die.

"You want him, go and get him. By now they're half way to Kendal Hospital. Better catch up" he started to run off but he didn't get far before the insides of his head painted the pavement. MacCready stood up and started to follow the gang of raiders. There were too many of them to take on alone, maybe he could spring Nate out and they could work together.

He got to the hospital by sunrise, scoping out the occasional raider along the way but leaving at least one alive to follow. By that time he was tires, pissed off and in serious need of a drink. He wanted Nate to be hidden safely just inside, but he knew how unlikely that was. It was always harder to snipe indoors, sound tended to carry and there was always someone paying too much attention.

He crept inside and was immediately met with only two raiders guarding Nate. He almost laughed out loud at the delightful hand of fate that had granted him his wish. He measured the distance between the guards and took them both out within seconds of each other. Nate perked his ears up at the sound of the bodies falling beside him and he looked up with squinted eyes.

"Rob?" he tilted his head to peek around the crates that blocked his line of sight. MacCready popped his head up with a grin and Nate relaxed.

"I can't believe they put you this close to the entrance" MacCready said as he untied Nate's bonds.

"Well I told them there was a back entrance and that you knew where it was, told 'em you were more likely to come from there." the two men stood up together and Nate rubbed his wrists.

"Should we go through and take care of the rest of them?"

Nate shook his head violently and led MacCready towards the exit, "hell no, they have a deathclaw."

Nick:

"Are you sure you didn't get the wrong name, Ellie?" Nick was standing up, resting his weight on his hands on the desk. Ellie turned to him, a cigar hung lazily from her fingers and an eyebrow raised

"Nick I'm sure, it's Nate. Someone's kidnapped him." Nick shook his head and grimaced at a spot on the ground.

"He can't have been kidnapped, that doesn't make sense. Who's going to kidnap him? He's one of the more deadly people in the Commonwealth and he wouldn't just let-"

"Nick, why don't you go look for him instead of deny his disappearance." Nick shot her a look that made her shrug and turn back around to tend to the potted plant in the corner. He paced the room for a minute, reading over the file and stroking his chin. It didn't make sense, Nate wasn't someone to be kidnapped by run of the mill raiders.

"Ellie, watch the office for me will ya?" she hummed in agreement as Nick left the building, still scratching his head at this mystery.

It was a nearly two day trek to the lighthouse where Nate was spotted last, but once Nick got a good look at the kind of company that he was keeping he shuddered. These were no raiders, they were those loonies that worshipped that crater in the south. By the looks of things he had showed up right on time. It was late afternoon and there was an argument that had broken out in front of the house.

"The chosen one deserves the best immediately, why do we give him only scrawny imps?" There were two figures that seemed to be at each other's throats about this 'chose one'.

"We save the best for last, that's how it's always been, that's how it'll be now."

It was then that Nick stepped forward just enough to make himself noticed.

"Who's there?"

He cringed, no going back now. He sprung out of his hiding spot and started shooting, not what he was normally known for doing but he felt ostentatious. They shot at him with weapons that didn't even faze him a little bit. Gamma guns were entirely useless on synths and they seemed to be horrified at the prospect of it. He continued killing the children of atom without getting any kind of damage, he was actually feeling pretty good about it.

The last few gave him trouble as he ascended the lighthouse steps, they had ballistic weapon and the familiar pinging shots made him duck for cover. It was very back and forth for a minute there, a few grazing shots across the chest plate but otherwise he was unscathed.

Suddenly it was quiet and Nick waited, listening for movement. He had killed them all and the slight regret stung at him, but he ignored it. It was for Nate, he thought, and he proceeded up the stairs. Once he found Nate he was curious about why he had been left alive when there were two other corpses of settlers near him.

"Nate, you alright bud?" Nick helped him to his feet and freed his hands.

"You remember when I saved you from that vault? Well we're even now" Nate said as he glanced upward. "Your timing could not have been better. They were feeding us to a glowing feral upstairs." Nick nodded, looking quite repulsed at the idea of live feeding.

"Let's get going before more of those guys show up, I get the feeling there's more around here somewhere." Nate chuckled and followed Nick down to ground level, "you're probably right about that."

Piper:

"You're friends with that vault gut guy right, the one you wrote about?" Piper looked up at the city guard and set down her pen.

"Yeah, what about him?" The guard shifted slightly and adjusted his face mask.

"There's been word that someone matching his description wearing a vault 111 jumpsuit was last seen heading into some ruins with super mutants. I think he's in some kind of trouble. Just thought you'd like to know."

Piper started chewing on the inside of her cheek as her mind raced. Nate was in trouble, actual real danger, and it looked like no one was doing anything about it.

"Well? Are you or any of your guard buddies gonna go get him out of there?" He shrugged again before walking off, away from the exit. Piper seethed, if they weren't going to help him then she'd have to.

"At least tell me where he is!" The guard didn't even turn around, just hollered over his shoulder

"Just right outside the wall, Piper, don't get yourself killed." She ran inside to grab her gun before heading out of the safety of diamond city. She didn't have to go too far to find a small group of super mutants hulled up about three blocks from the gates to the city.

"Why are these guys even here?" she said to herself under her breath. She was appalled that the guards weren't doing anything, not to mention someone had been _kidnapped_ and they seemed like they were too good for saving Nate? She took a deep breath and hung back away from the horde to think about her next move.

As it was they outnumbered her five to one and she was upset that she had to do this alone. However she knew she could handle at least five super mutants if she was fast enough. She was brave enough, her plan was put enough bullets in and they'll go down. It wasn't a flawless plan, she knew that, but it had to work, it was this or they eat Nate.

One last long breath, then she peeked around the corner and started shooting. It didn't go off without a hitch, she had been shot twice in the arm and her shoulder was banged up pretty badly. There was still one alive that she could hear but she didn't have a clue where it was.

"Hey Blue!" she called out and heard a nervous laugh.

"Piper? What the hell? A city full of guards and you're the one to come after me?" Piper chuckled to herself and sighed

"There's still one alive over there, do you see him?" There was a brief silence and a long groan,

"I don't see him, Piper, I think I'd have been shot at already." She stood up straight and started walking in Nate's direction slowly. She believed that he didn't see that super mutant but she had a feeling there was one just out of sight. Sure enough, not four seconds later shots rang out again and Piper hit the ground to dodge the bullets.

"I thought so!" she yelled, waiting for the super mutant to reload. Once she had the opportunity she took it, firing off several rounds until she fell the enemy.

"Did you get him?" Piper cackled and sighed as she stood up.

"Are you ready to get out of here, Nate?" She untied him and dusted herself off.

"My hero" he laughed, rustling her hair. She smiled at him before leading him back to Diamond city.

Preston:

He was finally taking a break, leaning against a wooden beam and tilting his hat forward to rest his eyes. It had been a long day; he had to help replant half of the carrot crops due to blight so entire plot of land had become useless. They built a house over it but it was doubtful that anyone would move in because they already had a large group of settlers. One of the wells dried up and that created a minor inconvenience that he felt obligated to remedy so he helped develop a new well a few yards from the old one. He had a panic attack late the night before and couldn't get back to sleep after that so he was missing about three hours of much needed rest. It was a long day, but there had been worse days.

"You're with the Minutemen, right?" he looked up to see a settler with crossed arms and a dismissive look. As much as he tried to help, not everyone was appreciative of the minutemen, there was still a majority that didn't believe in their efforts until they did them a favor.

"That's right" he said, standing up to be at their eye level. "What's the problem?"

The woman shifted her weight and sighed, "there was a man here before, a minuteman like you. He went to go deal with some raiders for us and he hasn't been back since. That was two days ago."

Preston fixed his hat and cleared his throat, "what did he look like?"

The woman shrugged and looked off to the side, trying to remember. "He had a vault suit" she said, though she sounded pretty unsure. Preston, however, was immediately anxious.

"Where were the raiders?"

"That big ol' satellite dish down the road a ways. You can't miss it."

She walked off after saying something but Preston was no longer paying attention to her. His mind was on Nate and why he hadn't returned after only a few hours. They had worked that location before and it went off without a hitch but now it seemed there was a problem. He looked around for Sturges but after a minute or two of not finding him he left, hoping that once they noticed he was gone someone would take over for the time being.

Station Olivia wasn't too far from Sanctuary, still he had better be on his guard. If remembered correctly there was a high point that a sniper would just love to shoot him from. As he approached night had fallen so he had the cover of darkness, but so did everyone else. He was good with ranged weapons, he was just unsure of whether he could hit an enemy at more than 25 yards out; he'd have to get closer and risk being seen.

There wasn't much in the way of movement, the vast majority of the raiders would be in the station but he did see a potential sniper up the stairs. It was at this moment that he wish he were stealthy so that he could sneak up and take him out with a knife, but he could only be as sneaky as his feet allowed. He had to kill this one first, there would be no getting into the building without being seen by him.

As he crept slowly along the base of the satellite he heard the jingling of a dog collar and he clenched his jaw. Nothing ruined his day more than having to kill an animal. He had to take slow breathes to prevent himself from panicking, he really did not want to kill the dog. Nate had shown him a few pointers on pacifying animals, he really hoped that when it came down to it they were effective tips.

He climbed the stairs but not without them creaking beneath his weight and he froze for a couple seconds with each step he took. Nate had saved him before, there was no way he'd miss the opportunity to return the favor. He rounded onto the next flight and there was the dog, lowering itself and growling deeply. Preston held his breath and stared into its eyes, also getting lower. He tried not to think about how terrified he was, he tried to think about taming this dog, almost trying to will it into submission. The dog was still growling and it took a step closer to Preston, but he held out his hand.

"Shhh, it's okay" he whispered. It was meant to be a loud, firm statement but he didn't want to bring attention to himself from the raider lurking around just above him. He took a step forward and the dog stopped growling and straightened up. There was a strange feeling in Preston's gut, surprise and excitement maybe, but he had to focus. He continued on up the steps but felt his anxiety building, if this raider had a missile launcher or a fat man instead of a regular gun he would be done for and Nate would be killed also.

He wouldn't give him the chance. As soon as he turned the corner into the small room he shot the raider in the head twice. It was a mess and there was blood everywhere and Preston felt his heart palpitating. He didn't like having to sneak, it always made him nervous. At least going in head on you knew where all the enemies were pretty quick. As soon as he snapped out of his daze he saw Nate staring up at him with a grin.

"Shit, Preston" he said quietly. He had been beaten and starved; his lips were chapped so he could see that they hadn't given him any water either. Preston dropped to his knees and stabilized himself with his hands on the ground next to him. He was shaking, glad to see Nate alive, but finally able to release all the coiled tension.

"It's alright, pal, take your time, deep breathes, remember?" Nate had been there for him on many occasion when anxiety took him over. Even now, bloodied up with someone else's blood and in a state of disarray, he was able to comfort Preston. After about ten minutes Preston was able to until Nate if not for a serious case of the shakes, but Nate wasn't bothered by this.

"Let's go home" Nate said rubbing Preston's back between his shoulders. "You look like you could use a good night's sleep.

X6:

He's dealt with runaway synths before with great success so when Nate turns up missing he instantly switches into seek and rescue mode. He hears from several sources that Nate was last seen in Goodneighbor. Why he was there in the first place makes X6 question his Nate's choices in company. It's not about that though, that isn't what's important and he has to focus on that. When he arrives in the town to prod for answers pertaining to Nate's whereabouts it's hard to imagine him being in a place like this voluntarily. Whoever's idea it was to put an assaultron in charge of a weapons shop clearly wasn't of sound mind.

"Nate, of course I know him, sweetest guy that's come through here in a while. I asked him to see about some super mutants that were ruining the library downtown. You don't think he ran into too much trouble, do you? I'd never forgive myself."

Though he didn't show it, X6 was both grateful for the information, but furious that this ghoul woman would send Nate into danger without any kind of backup. He nodded curtly before leaving, setting out for the library. He should have known not to let Nate wander around alone, no good ever came from that, especially from a man so prone to getting involved with locals and their problems. He needed to learn that not everyone needed to be helped and he just couldn't help them all, he was only one man.

The library wasn't too far, once he knew where it was it was only a matter of getting there. X6 hated walking through the city; it was too cluttered, it was exposed, there were enemy camps everywhere, it was too easy to get lost. If only Nate would agree to stay in the Institute and only leave when it was necessary, maybe then he wouldn't be getting himself into trouble like this.

He walked around the library once to get an idea of where the exits were and to decide which way would be the best to enter the building. He finally settled on the more direct route, bypassing the coded lock with ease. The moment he stepped through the door he heard the unmistakable sound of gunfire and super mutants. He had nothing to fear, he knew he was the superior being, going in head on would be the most efficient way to go about it.

To his surprise the super mutants were being attacked by a group of raiders. This would either be the perfect distraction or a minor inconvenience. However it turned out, he could not fail. As he walked from room to room, he was able to kill each enemy that he came across be it mutant or raider. He did not flinch at the three round he took to the chest, though it did hurt like hell. The shot in the shoulder did make him falter a little, though, and he rested for a minute against a doorway. His arm ached and his ability to aim was damaged a bit, still he continued on.

At the end of a long hall with furniture stacked all along the sides he saw Nate surrounded by three super mutants. As soon as they saw X6 they opened fire, luckily for him the furniture provided decent cover. He took shots at them when he could, slowly taking out two of the guards however the last one moved around a lot and had a minigun. As he waited for an opening he heard Nate shouting obscenities at the large enemy, the whole time X6 was thinking that the super mutant was going to turn his attention on Nate instead.

At the exact moment the minigun needed to cool X6 popped out from his cover and killed the skirmisher. Nate stood up and took one of the weapons scattered on the floor along with some ammo

"They took all my stuff and hid it somewhere, we need to find it before we can leave."

X6 winced, all the damage he had already taken was setting in now that he saw Nate was safe and his adrenaline was lowering. Nate looked him over and frowned

"As soon as we find the cache I'll get you fixed up. You wait here while I look for it." X6 shook his head and forced himself to bring his weapon to the ready.

"We do this together, letting you go alone is foolish." Nate grinned faintly and they began to search for Nate's stolen inventory. After a while and several corpses later they found it and Nate was able to patch up X6 to the best of his abilities.

X6 pondered as they left the library behind. He was aware that he was a synth and that he had been programmed and that he was designed to be a courser. He wondered if it was predetermined that he would be the one alongside Nate. He wondered too what if he had never met him, would he continue being a mere deliverer of escaped synths? Maybe there was a grand design, if there weren't he wouldn't have picked another man to be with.

Strong:

The very idea that Nate _could_ be kidnapped doesn't register to him. Nate is too strong, too good a leader, and way too competent to be stolen. He's sure that it isn't the case, that Nate hasn't been kidnapped, he's merely out saving the Commonwealth single-handedly. It's not until he starts hearing whispers around the settlement, people talking about how it's a shame that the vault-dweller has been taken by some roguish gang of ghouls in an old vault.

Strong knew that vault they were talking about, he had been there with Nate when they saved that robot detective, he remembered. Well if no one was going to save him, Strong would, he had to. Not to mention it would show Nate how strong he was.

"STRONG SAVE HUMAN, OTHER HUMANS USELESS" he said loud enough for half of Sanctuary to hear him as he left.

It was a few days of walking before he got to the subway tunnel that led into the vault and it was that trek that bored him terribly. He did not like being by himself, as much as he complained about being surrounded by humans, at least he wasn't alone. A day into the walk and he found himself wanting to turn back and enlist the help of some of the settlers. He didn't need them to do anything, he was just so lonesome. He would talk to himself to emulate company, but it wasn't the same.

By the time he finally did get to the vault entrance he was slightly happier having killed a few triggermen, but he was going stir-crazy. He tried to relax as he killed a few more ghouls, tried to remind himself that he enjoyed doing this. He wielded the great axe that Nate hand found in a book store, it was his favorite weapon because it allowed him to up close and personal as he smashed enemies. He was trying to have fun, but he felt a nagging concern for Nate that pressed him to move faster.

"Where are you, puny ghouls, come out!" he shrieked as he hacked into them, severing limbs and splitting skulls. He was not stealthy in the least, not by choice obviously, being as cumbersome as he was. This was a benefit for him though, he hated when they hid from him because then he'd have to look for them. He'd much rather have enemies come to him in the open where they could do battle on a more or less equal playing field.

He took little damage as he made his way further into the vault. Because he rushed the triggermen and invaded their space they didn't get clear shots of him before he trampled into them and cut their arms off. After a while he was pleasantly coated in blood from the chest up and he enjoyed it. It was these little moments that made him feel as strong as he was. Nate was a good leader for him, but he rarely got to be the mightiest in the room while Nate was with him.

"Strong, is that you? How the hell did you find me?" Nate was behind the glass of the overseer's office and the irony of being the damsel to Strong being the hero was not lost on him. Strong thudded a large palm against the glass and laughed

"Strong smart too" he said, walking towards the door. There was a terminal that would allow the door to open but Strong was never good with these things. He took one look at it before disregarding it entirely. He looked at the door and scowled, it was a simple metal door and he was pretty sure he could knock it down with a few good rams.

"Move back, human" Strong grumbled, setting the axe against the wall beside the door. He took a few steps back then ran at it, slamming his shoulder into the door. The entire wall shuddered and the floor shook, but the door didn't budge. Strong looked at the wall and huffed, the door wasn't going to cave in as easily as he imagined.

Nate kept his eyes on the door, if Strong really was capable of kicking it in he'd be impressed. Suddenly there was a loud crash and the wall to the right of the door crumbled as Strong appeared in front of him. Nate laughed and put his hands on his hips

"Well now, that's certainly one way to get me out of here."

Strong panted, it had take a lot of energy to bring down a wall, but the door was still standing. He glared at it before turning his attention back to Nate.

"I'm grateful for the rescue, Strong, but we still have to get out of here" Strong started to leave the room and Nate followed. He picked up the axe and grinned at the human

"Strong take care of it."


	25. Waking up with Sole

**Thank you everyone for all the requests! I have a ton of them to go through and will be doing so for the next few weeks. The requests are now closed, I'll let you know when I open up shop again but I won't be running low for a good while now. Thanks again!**

Cait:

She wakes up with a start, not sure of last night's events and feels her head throb. Looking around she can tell that she's in bed with Sole and she panics for a moment. They're still asleep and she starts to slowly creep from the bed when they wake up and look over at her curiously.

"Are you feeling any better?" they ask and she pauses. She can't remember the night before and it's making her anxious. Sole sits up, revealing that they are fully clothed and she relaxes slowly.

"You were really drunk last night and I couldn't get you to stay in bed without making sure I kept you here. We didn't do anything, I promise." Cait sat down on the bed next to them and looked hard into their eyes. She knew she could trust them but her past had made it so hard for her to let her guard down as far as being in bed with someone without knowing.

"I can leave if you want, I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable." Sole started to get out of bed but Cait put her hand on their arm.

"We can just lie here for a while, I think" she said quietly and started to lie back down. Sole blinked at her for a moment before getting comfortable again, their back to her like before. Cait looked at the back of their head, smiling.

"I trust you, and that's not easy for me to say" she put her arm over them, resting her hand on their shoulder. She knew that they were only there to make sure that she was okay, and the thought alone was very comforting to her. "I'm glad you're here."

They stayed like that, Sole letting her snuggle against them without turning around. Mostly because they were still tired, she had kept them up until about four in the morning, but also to give her all the space she needed. They knew she had a rough time before they met and they wanted to make sure she took as much time as she wanted to warm up to them. After a while Sole drifted off and Cait was not far behind.

Curie:

Sole traced their fingers over her bare shoulder as she slept and kept their eyes closed, still between sleep and wake and enjoying every minute with her. She woke up slowly, the light pressure on her arm enough to rouse her without alarm. She smiled as she breathed in Sole's scent. Her head rested on their chest and she shifted a little.

"Hey there" she said sleepily. Sole's eye fluttered as they came out of their sleep.

"Good morning beautiful" their voice not all there yet.

The night before Curie finally felt comfortable to sleep with Sole in the nude. There was no fooling around, just sleep, and it was her new favorite thing. Skin contact proved to be a very pleasant experience. She wasn't comfortable with exploring their body just yet, but she knew in time she'd be all over them.

She stared at the wall to the side of the bed and dared to let her hand slide up to their belly. She felt them tense up and immediately relax and it was a very curious reaction. She let her fingers dance over their skin as if to tickle them and Sole giggled, causing her to grin widely.

"I like this" she said, raising herself from the bed and sitting back on her heels.

"Me too" they couldn't resist letting their eyes take in every inch of her exposed skin. She blushed as she watched them look at her. She wasn't ashamed of her naked form and their response to it made her feel powerful.

"Should we get going?"

Sole pouted, they could spend the rest of the day like this, and then maybe the next day too. "I suppose" they said after some time and rolled out of bed.

Danse:

The first thing he noticed was how insanely comfortable he was. For years he had woken up in the same cramped bed, aching and stiff but this morning he felt great. Once his senses came to him he realized why he had been so comfortable. Sole was wrapped around him with their face buried into the back of his neck and breathing lightly.

He didn't remember last night all at once but pieces came to him as he woke up more. He wasn't able to sleep, he was having intrusive thoughts and nightmares and asked to sleep with Sole. They said it was fine and if he recalled correctly he fell asleep soon after that.

He let his mind ease into the present, he felt their legs tangled in with his and somehow that brought him great comfort. Never mind the fact that Sole was smaller than him, having them at his back was really great, being cradled against them was more relaxing than anything he could think of.

Suddenly Sole's breath hitched and they shook as they stretched their arms out before returning them to their spots around Danse.

"How are you feeling?" they asked, nuzzling their nose into his shoulder. He grinned; he didn't know what this was or how they felt about him but in this moment he was the happiest he'd ever been outside of the Brotherhood.

"Fine" he said in a restful tone. "What happened?" he wanted to make sure he remembered everything right but he had the feeling that he missed something.

"Oh, you know, you snuck in here late last night and announced your undying love for me" Sole said, giving Danse a squeeze around the arm. Danse blinked, had he been drinking? He didn't realize he'd said that, he certainly didn't remember it.

"Really?" Sole laughed at Danse's very confused voice, it was several octaves higher and full of doubt.

"No, you said you couldn't sleep and needed the company. I thought we were at least going to talk about why you couldn't sleep but instead you passed out a few minutes after you laid down."

Danse sighed, relieved; he didn't know how he really felt about Sole. He knew he trusted them and would follow them into battle and watch their back, but he didn't know about _love_.

"Thank you. For letting me stay here. It was nice."

Sole pat him on the arm before separating themselves from him and getting out of bed. Danse trusted them, that was for sure, but in the back of his mind he wondered if there had been truth to what they said about last night. Maybe he did say something because as soon as they left him he wanted them back beside him.

Deacon:

He had slept with his eyes open again and when he awoke to the sting of dry eyes he knew it would bother him all day. He started rubbing them wildly until he accidentally elbowed something next to him. He stopped and looked over to see Sole who was now rolling over.

"Oh" he said quietly. He had almost forgotten that they were undercover as a married couple. This had been going on for a few days now and he still wasn't used to waking up beside someone. It had its perks; staying warm through the night and having someone to watch his back if things got sketchy. Then there were the drawbacks; Sole was almost definitely a snorer, they took up most of the bed and tended to get a little hands in their sleep.

He wasn't judging, though, he didn't know how he was while he was asleep but he was sure they were just as annoyed with him after three nights of sleeping together. Maybe not annoyed, he wasn't irritated with them, it was just strange sleeping with someone again.

He stared at the back of their head for a while. He thought they made a nice fake married couple, people seemed pretty convinced that they were together. Sole held his hand in public, called him darling, gave him the occasionally kiss on the cheek and everything went well. As he stared he started thinking too much, and he realized this, but let himself daydream.

Perhaps Sole was to convincing, they did have a way of being nice to him that was sincere. They had a great smile, they fought well, they somehow always smelled nice, they complimented him on the positives, critiqued him gently on the negatives. He wasn't entirely sure they weren't a married couple on most days even before this mission.

Although they had shared the same bed, they hadn't cuddled. That was something he wanted to avoid, he was a hopeless romantic and he was afraid that even the gentlest touch would have him nose diving into a serious crush. He didn't want to feel romantic towards Sole but they made it hard for him not to and now there they were asleep next to him despite just getting elbowed in the head.

 _Shit_ , he thought, it was too late. He was already in too deep with his thoughts. If he was going to do anything it was now or never. He reached out to touch their arm and barely grazed it with his finger tips when they spun around quick and punched him right in the chest.

"Oh shit, Deacon, I'm sorry!" He was coughing and Sole covered their mouth, now sitting up. He rubbed his chest where they punched him and nodded. He deserved that, that's what he got for feeling bold.

"It's fine" he said, sitting up also, "we should get going anyway." This was for the best, he assured himself, besides they needed to focus.

Hancock:

He hadn't slept well for the past few hours; there was a storm raging outside and he did his best to concentrate on anything else. He had never known a thunderstorm to last so long, it had been two days and he was a nervous wreck. When he did fall asleep it was because he was finally too exhausted.

Hancock woke the next morning feeling well rested and to his surprise Sole was cradled in his arms. It was still raining outside, but at least there was no thunder.

"Hey, wake up" he said, nudging them a little until they woke up. "What are you doing here?"

Sole rubbed their eyes and blinked at him. "You were crying out in your sleep, I thought it might help if you had some company."

Hancock scratched his forehead and smiled slowly "that's sweet of you." He pulled them a little tighter against him and sighed. They had had a minor disagreement the day before and slept in separate rooms for the first time since they had been together. That probably had something to do with why he couldn't sleep.

"I missed you" he said gruffly, ready to admit he was wrong, even if he wasn't. Anything to get back into their good graces, "I'm sorry."

Sole stretched up to kiss him on the jaw and smiled at him slyly. "Yeah, I bet" they said, a hint of playfulness in their tone. They nestled back against his chest and got comfortable again. Hancock stared at the ceiling, listening to the pinging of rain on the roof. Rain didn't bother him as much as much as thunder did but it still irritated him. He felt the dull ache in his bones that worsened when it rained and closed his eyes tight.

"If you want we can stay here until it stops raining" Sole said, not really looking for an answer. Hancock didn't open his eyes, he just listened to the rain and grew more irritable as the pain diffused evenly through his body. Suddenly Sole started singing quietly and Hancock looked down at them, it had taken his attention from the sound of the rain at least and for that he was glad.

He listened to Sole singing, it wasn't a song he knew but it sounded nice. Eventually he fell asleep without the rain doing too much more damage. Having Sole there with him was more than an added bonus, without them he wasn't comfortable.

MacCready:

He nearly falls out of bed when he wakes up beside Sole. Not only are they taking up most of the bed but he didn't think he'd ever be so lucky. He scoots closer to Sole, pressing on their outstretched limbs until he can plant a kiss on their cheek.

"Morning" he whispers in their ear and they stir only to stretch their arms out more and risk pushing him off the bed. Once they realize he's there they smile at him with sleepy eyes and pull him into a hug.

"I didn't think you'd still be here" they're quiet when they speak and they kiss him on the shoulder. They hadn't been in an official relationship and sneaking around had been half the fun. The previous times they had been together he had crept out before morning so that no one would see him leave her room. Sole never understood why he did that, they never asked him to, they just assumed he was dodging commitment.

"I thought maybe we could make this a regular thing" he said, feeling Sole smile against his neck.

"You mean it?" Sole rolled to the side to get a better look at the man beside them, delight washing over them. Mac nodded, a grin spreading over his face. He reached out to cup Sole's jaw and rubbed his thumb over their cheek.

"Only if you think that's something you'd be into" Sole blushed. They'd thought countless times about MacCready finally wanting a stable relationship with them but they didn't think he'd ever be ready for one. Sole sighed, they had woken up bitter and alone so many times, and now that could all go away.

"You sure I wouldn't cramp your style?" Mac laughed heartily and kissed Sole lightly on the forehead. It was not a gesture he normally showed them, but it was a good sign. They settled against each other, his head rested against their chest and they bushed his hair back with their fingers.

"I could get used to this" he said, closing his eyes. There was some truth to that, this was probably the best he had felt in a long time. His hand massaged their thigh and they giggled softly. Sole relished the moment, they knew he wasn't going anywhere but they were so used to him leaving before they even woke up.

"You're not fuckin with me right? You're staying here now, you're my prisoner and all, I just wanted to make sure." MacCready laughed again as Sole wrapped their les around his hips.

"I'm not going anywhere" he said, pulling their hand down to kiss their wrist. Sole breathed a sigh of relief but held their hold on him with their legs.

"I know you're not, you're trapped" Sole said, all smiles.

Nick:

He hung up his hat and coat quietly before looking over at Sole in the bed. He didn't sleep, but he loved the feeling of Sole waking up to him. He crept over to the bed and laid down beside them, pulling them against them. It was light out but the walls did a good job of keeping the sun from peeking through. He loved to watch them sleep, the way they kept their lips just slightly parted though they breathed through their nose. They way they buried their face into his chest and clung onto him like he was the only thing that mattered, even in their sleep.

It wasn't long before Sole woke up with a big grin. He loved that, the fact that him being the first thing they saw made them smile like that. He kissed them on the top of the head and matched their smile.

"Well hello there, handsome" they said, snuggling against him. He didn't know what he did to deserve them but he wasn't arguing.

"Good morning to you, too" he held them a little tighter. Everything about being there with them right then was almost dream like; it couldn't be real there was no way.

"How did you sleep?" Sole yawned and wiggled a little to stretch. He liked it best when they slept in his bed while he worked downstairs. Admittedly it was hard to get anything done with thoughts of Sole running through his mind in the dead of night.

"Pretty good" they said in a raspy voice, perhaps not entirely awake yet. They traced shapes onto his chest with their fingertips and hummed softly. His circuits whirred, there was no doubt that he was so deeply in love with Sole. This brief moment of bliss was rare being that they were always out saving the day, but he enjoyed every second of it.

He pulled away only for them to hang onto him. He chuckled and put his hand over theirs on his chest

"You're not ready to head out just yet?" They pushed themselves up onto his lap and kissed him more gently than he was expecting. He held their hips against his and returned the kiss with a smile until Sole pulled away breathlessly.

"Let's just stay here a while" they said, he couldn't deny them in the position he was in. Besides, he had his hands full.

Piper:

"Thanks for staying with me last night; I didn't know what else to do, I don't trust anyone else." The night before Nat had gotten really sick and Piper had called on Sole to help her. Sole knew a little about sick children, after all they had prepared for it for Shaun but that time never came. They were able to get Nat's fever under control but Piper couldn't sleep.

"Don't worry about it, I'm just glad I could help." When Piper did finally get some rest it was only because Sole let her use their lap as a pillow. Sole stayed up to watch Nat for about an hour before getting to sleep also.

In truth, Piper had been wanting Sole to stay the night with her for some time now. She didn't know if it was because she had legitimate feelings for them or if it was a crush, or if she just needed that creature comfort of another person lying beside her. Sole rolled off the mattress and started putting their shoes on and Piper felt the muscles in her neck tense up.

"You don't have to go, you know, you can stay here for a while." Sole turned to look at her over their shoulder. They hadn't slept well at all; maybe they got two hours in if they were lucky, Piper was a bed hog and they knew the quickest way to get sick was to be around a sick kid.

"I don't know Piper, I'm probably not the most pleasant person to be around right now, I didn't get much sleep." She felt bad because she knew it was her fault, but she was grateful. If Sole didn't want to stay she wasn't going to make them, but she did want for them to stay with her for a few more hours at least.

"Alright, Blue, if you say so." Sole could practically feel the passive aggressive tone and sighed before standing up and brushing themselves off.

"You know, Piper, if you wanted me to stay I know you'd just say so. This isn't like you" they narrowed their eyes at her and she stood up to meet Sole's gaze. They stood there a minute or two, tension building silently between them until Nat chimed in unexpectedly

"Oh just kiss already" she coughed and Piper smirked. She was very caught off guard however when Sole kissed her on the cheek. She gasped, not for any other reason than to be dramatic and stall Sole for another quick second. She pulled on the back of their neck and brought them into a deeper kiss as her lips met theirs. She didn't expect herself to be so bold, but seeing as they weren't pulling away she felt compelled to keep them there.

When Sole did finally pull back it was to catch their breath, "well now that's more like it" they laughed before wrapping their arms around her. They had the feeling that they'd be spending more nights at Piper's place. This would call for a bigger bed.

Preston:

It wasn't the first time they'd shared a bed, there had been many nights when Sole didn't mind Preston sleeping beside them if for nothing else but to keep warm. They worked well as a team and shared everything, apparently sleeping situations weren't off limits. However when he awoke that morning he felt like something new had come over him and he spent more time than normal staring at Sole's unconscious figure.

They were tangled up in a heap of sheets and sleeping heavily. He had spent so much time with them he hadn't considered their relationship to be anything other than a mutual partnership; minutemen in arms. This morning felt so different he didn't know how to wrap his head around it, but he wanted to feel their skin. It was strange how suddenly desirable they had become practically overnight and he didn't know how to deal with it.

He watched them sleep, apprehensive about waking them up when he could go on like this for another ten minutes. He sighed nervously before reaching out and intertwining his fingers in theirs and waited with baited breath as they began to wake up from the unfamiliar sensation.

It was a long quiet stare and the lack of words that Sole was giving him made a knot form in his belly. He was very anxious now and regretted the gesture but was too frozen to do anything about it. They just looked at him and he looked right back at them and out of nowhere their mouth twitched into a grin which soon turned into a laugh.

"Now that's one way to wake me up" they said once they stopped laughing. Preston was now painfully aware of his hands and how loosely he was holding their hand. He pulled slowly but Sole didn't let him fully leave their grasp without tightening their fingers around his. Sole finally freed him only to unravel themselves from their sheet prison and sit up.

"Why didn't you tell me how you felt?" they screwed their face into one of concern but there was something else there that he couldn't define. He shrugged and forced a smile though his heart was racing and he was shaking slightly.

"I didn't know until just now" he said more to himself than to Sole and they leaned forward to better hear him

"And just how do you feel?"

Preston gripped a handful of sheets tightly and avoided Sole's stare. In truth he didn't know, it was a sudden burst of emotions but now in all his compromising anxiety he didn't know any better

"I- I don't know. I should get going."

With that he left the bed and Sole just watched him leave. They felt a lack of understanding, thought maybe they had missed something with how he had been acting toward them lately but could come up with nothing. It made Sole very curious for the rest of the day and when he stayed somewhere else that night they gave up and went to sleep with no further knowing of how Preston really felt about them.

X6:

He wakes up instantly at the sound of a distant explosion with a crick in his neck from sleeping in such an odd position. He's sitting back to back with Sole and he feels them turn their head as if to check on him.

"You alright? It's been going on all morning but whoever's fighting hasn't made it this far. I'd say it's nothing to worry about."

They had been traveling together and out in the middle of abandoned ruins there was rarely a safe place to sleep. They had hulled themselves down in a police station for the night, taking shifts to sleep or stay on watch. He didn't mean to fall asleep, he wasn't even sure when it happened.

"How long have I been out?" he asked shifting against Sole so that he could stand up. Once his weight was gone from behind them they fell backwards a little.

"Maybe three hours" they said, looking up to the sky. X6 looked down at them and rubbed his neck, it was definitely not the most comfortable night's sleep he had ever had, but at least they weren't ambushed.

"Do you need more rest before we leave? I'll stay awake this time" Sole smiled and let themselves fall back all the way onto the ground. They yawned and curled their knees towards their chest.

"Give me half an hour" they said almost immediately falling to sleep. X6 watched over them, occasionally leaving the safety of their hiding place to make sure no one was waiting just outside. It was slow mornings like this that made him relieved to be traveling with someone who had his back if he dozed off.

They didn't even scold him for falling asleep while on watch. He chewed on the inside of his cheek and pondered about it for a few minutes. If Ayo were to find out that he had failed to stay conscious during a field operation it would be weeks of recalculating and paperwork for X6. Then again he wasn't too worried about those repercussions, Sole didn't seem like the type to out him in front of the scientists.

He had never fallen asleep before he had take up with Sole, something about them tired him out. Maybe it was their reckless danger-seeking habits or maybe it was their personality, but he was never tired like this in the past. Even now he ached for the comfort of a real bed. It was something to look forward to.

He walked back to Sole after forty minutes and nudged their shoulder gently so not to startle them. "It's time to go" he said plainly and after a while they were on the road again. In the back of his mind he developed trust for Sole as they didn't bring it up at all. Anyone else from the Institute might have hounded his insubordination until they got back to the labs. They wouldn't let him forget about his fowl up. Sole on the other hand believed that since no one got hurt there was no harm done. He liked them, in truth, they were alright.


	26. Saving Sole

Cait:

She hears Sole screaming before she's able to help them directly and it breaks her down. The raiders came out of nowhere and Sole was left to deal with them while she took care of their attack dogs. From the sound of it things weren't going well and Cait was losing a lot of time on the mongrels. After putting a bullet in the last one's head she sprinted toward Sole. Their screams were becoming more pained and Cait could not run fast enough.

The raiders were grouped around Sole and Cait couldn't ask for a better shot. Spraying them down with an automatic rifle their bodies fell around or on top of Sole. Cait threw them off and got a better look at Sole. They were beaten badly; gaping wounds on the chest, legs and face. There was a lot of blood, Cait panicked. The only time there was almost this much blood was when someone was very nearly dead or already gone.

"Don't worry, we're gonna get you some help" she tried to talk calmly but her hands showed the truth. She was frantically looking for a dose of med-x to at least dull the excruciating pain Sole was in. Med-x followed by stimpack after stimpack. She needed to cover the damage; she tore cloth away from Sole's top and the fabric of a nearby raider's loose jumpsuit. She was no doctor but the wounds she had to deal with on herself in the past gave her enough knowledge to get by, at least she hoped so.

With the injuries covered and Sole left in a semiconscious state of babbling from the pain killer Cait was fairly certain that they'd live. The flare she had fired into the air a moment ago would bring help, and if they were lucky, a skilled medic. Cait looked down at Sole, their deep cuts were going to need stitches. In all the excitement she had forgotten about a chunk taken out of her leg by one of the dogs. It hurt like hell, but merely a dull ache thanks to the adrenaline.

"I hope I've done enough" she muttered, placing a hand on their knee. "If I lose you I'll have nothing" her voice cracked as she stifled back her worry. It was close for a minute there, had she delayed for even a few seconds the raiders might have beat the life out of Sole.

Soon she heard distant shouting between a few men who were making their way towards her and Sole. She stood over them, weapon at the ready. There were three of them but she wasn't worried about being out numbered so long as she could keep shooting.

"Are you with the minutemen?" it almost sounded like an accusation the way she looked at them with her piercing eyes. One of the men dipped his hat and nodded in reply.

"We're here to help" Cait eased back and gestured toward Sole.

"This is your general, their dying. Get them somewhere safe." She felt the pressure lift off of her slowly once they picked Sole up and headed for their settlement. It was a close call, too close; she'd never let it get that bad again.

Curie:

The burns on Sole's skin are bad, those crazed flamer-wielding raiders left scars on them that will never fully heal. Their skin bubbles and peels and from just looking at the charred skin Curie can smell it before she's close enough to. They hadn't made it inside the building just yet so she hoped no one from inside heard all the commotion.

She knelt down beside Sole and didn't dare touch them, they looked really bad. Most of their clothes had singed off along with their hair and eyebrows. They were whimpering, throat scalded from the flames and smoke too much to scream without being in pain. The smell of cooked flesh was unpleasant in the air and Curie grimaced at having to experience it but felt terrible for Sole for having to live it.

"You have major burns, mostly second degree it looks like, unfortunately some third degree also." Talking through the medical aspects made her feel more level-headed even though she was very concerned. She dug through her pack and mixed together some toothpaste, antiseptic and water to create a paste.

"Brace yourself" she said too calmly before spreading the concoction on Sole's skin. The toothpaste cooled but the antiseptic stung and they writhed limply. She winced as Sole hissed in pain, she hated having to hurt them like this but it was for the best. Once she had covered most of the afflicted skin she looked around for any kind of device to move Sole.

She remembered not far from where they were there was a small friendly settlement that she could take Sole to. It was a short trek dragging Sole behind her on a torn tarp but she'd travel further if it meant getting them to safety. From there she'd be able to radio for help, surely someone would come for them.

Curie couldn't talk to Sole without getting emotional and she hoped Sole understood that. She really did want to help them and get them back to full health but she too worried that a accident brought on by her would cause Sole to die. She could hardly look at them once they had gotten to Finch farm and she fired up the ham radio.

Sole was exhausted and hardly noticed much of anything. Once they had the clarity to realize that Curie was safe they allowed themselves to unhinge from reality again. They mumbled lightly and incoherently as Curie called for help that would be on the way. Sole was safe, for the most part, and she hoped they knew that she did all that she could.

Danse:

Shots fired so consecutively that by the time all the enemies were dead and the weapon rested his ears rang. Sole was hunched over, retching over the railing into the front yard. The bloodbugs were so numerous there was no avoiding getting bitten. Danse had been safe inside his power armor and he wished more than anything now that Sole had been wearing theirs.

Their skin had lost a few shades of color as a great deal of blood had been drained from them. Deep purple sores bruised instantly leaving pustules at their center. Sole's heart was working overtime to produce more blood but it was taking a toll on them.

Danse tore through his collection of first aid equipment and loaded Sole full of the spare blood he kept on hand for such emergencies. While it would help, it wasn't an immediate thing and it hurt like hell. Sole cried out as the unfamiliar blood filled their veins with a strange thickness. They threw up twice more before collapsing to their side and sobbing.

The bug bites were laced with toxins that made their veins narrow and their immune system was slowly attacking itself. Not much was known about bloodbug bites and it really showed as Danse panicked. He tried every trick he knew; med-x, radaway, even purified water. By the looks of them, Sole was losing their grip on reality fast. Their eyes rolled into their head and their forehead was covered in sweat. Danse had no choice, he had to get them to safety immediately though moving them would cause them major distress.

"Hang in there, soldier." Sole was over his shoulder in a moment as he raced to get them to the nearest settlement. He ran as fast as his armor would allow him for as long as he could. Even though he burned through several fusion cores it was worth it to get Sole to a doctor. He was far from qualified to call himself such and avoiding the risk of further damaging Sole he knew this was the best way to go. Sole vomited again, this time mostly foam.

Danse was very anxious. He'd dealt with many things on the field; lost limbs, gangrene, and bullet wounds, but this was far different from anything he'd ever seen. He felt Sole's body go lime a few times, likely from exhaustion. They were losing a lot of energy from getting sick, added with the loss of blood and the possible dehydration he figured they didn't have long.

"Nearly there, just hold out a while longer." It was more to convince himself than them. By the time they got to a doctor and he laid Sole down on the bed he was horrified at the look of them. The deep purple bruising had extended to cover most of their skin. All the color had faded from their lips and they were coated in sweat now. There were definite signs of dehydration and, from what the doctor was saying, classic symptoms of a few diseases.

Danse didn't leave their side as the doctor worked on reviving them to a less lethal state. He felt responsible for the shape they were in. He should have been more firm about them being in their armor. Maybe if they lived through this they'd think twice about listening to him about this sort of thing.

Deacon:

His lungs stung as he ran faster than he ever had to the badly damaged body sprawled on the floor. A super mutant had thrown Sole from the roof of a building and he half expected them to be dead. He knelt beside them, panting as he looked over them.

Somehow they were still breathing, mangled as they were they hung onto life. Deacon didn't know what to do so he panicked. He was thrown into a fit of hyperventilation as he rocked next to them, his fingers clamping onto the back of his head. He knew if he moved them it would only make it worse. He knew if he did nothing they would die. It was an act of divine intervention that they weren't already dead.

A small noise came from Sole, like they were trying to shush him and calm him down. That made it better and worse at the same time. Even in their current broken status they were trying to comfort him and he tried to pull it together for them.

"I don't know what to do" he cried, not able to get a grip just yet. Sole only blinked slowly, not able to move even a little in fear of terrible pain. Deacon met their eyes and tried to calm down, panicking was doing nothing for the situation.

"I've got to get help" he said finally, but he was not entirely convinced of his decision. Leaving them there like that, vulnerable and shattered felt like a death sentence but there was really no other way. He lightly touched their arm and gave them a dose of med-x before taking off.

It was the last thing he wanted, to leave them there like that, alone and watching him disappear into the distance. He dreaded what must be going through their mind. He hoped they didn't think he was abandoning them because he wasn't. He ran hard, not stopping even after the sharp intakes of breath burned his throat. He needed to find anyone who could help Sole, in his luck he found a Brotherhood field scribe. He had to ignore the fact that he'd be asking the enemy for help, besides there was no way for them to know who he was.

"Please help, there's been an accident." Scribes were never assholes like their superiors and this scribe didn't need any convincing to help Sole. It was fortunate that he was able to find someone medically trained. They were able to set some bones and bind what they couldn't so that Sole could be moved onto a carrier. With the help of the scribe Deacon got Sole to a safe settlement without drawing too much attention to himself. Sole would survive, but for now he watched over them as they slept.

Hancock:

He dragged them by the back of their collar for a short distance before the struggle was too much for them. The explosion from the mini nuke had nearly blown Sole's legs off and the shrapnel from the car that blown up dug into their chest. Both of them were covered in blood, John from dragging Sole away from the fight, he was quite unharmed in comparison.

"If you didn't lug around all this crap maybe I could get you to safety." His voice was gravely and he chanced a smile. Sole was conscious but in a great deal of pain. It didn't matter how many chems he pumped into them, the metal shards jutting from their chest were hard to ignore. That paired with the split open wounds in their legs made the whole situation pretty unbearable.

There was so much blood. If he stopped and paid attention to it too long it might freak him out. He sat down beside them and pulled them into his lap and against his chest. He felt them breathe, a low wheezing rumbled in their chest. As long as they continued to breathe he knew they'd be okay.

"What were you thinking taking up with me, huh?" Hancock laughed in his throat and sighed. He looked down at Sole and winced, a particularly large hunk of metal was lodged into their side, he thought that one was probably the most painful.

"We gotta get you out of here" he said more to himself than to Sole. It would be easier to call in for help than to drag Sole anywhere else. He didn't have the strength, not like he used to. He pulled a smoke grenade off of their hip and tossed it a few feet away. Sole's eyes darted between him and the smoke that was lifting upward.

"I have to clear out, I know, but they'll help you. You just make sure you stay alive. I…" he gently laid them on the ground as he moved away from them. The Brotherhood would be there shortly and they wouldn't be too happy to see a ghoul anywhere near their prized knight. Hancock watched as their line of sight trailed over him and he grabbed their hands and looked into their eyes.

He was desperate to see them live another day, and as much as he hated those tin cans he knew it was the best for them. He stayed there with Sole until he heard the vertibird approaching.

"Don't die" he said with the most piercing glance before he took off to watch from a distance. They'd take care of them and he had to trust that they would or there would be hell to pay. They loaded Sole up into the vertibird and whisked them away. His hands trembled, he really hoped he made the right decision.

MacCready:

He tried to circle back around to them before the assaultron could find them but the gunners proved to be more of a challenge than he had anticipated. The laser was like an immediate flashing burn that practically cooked Sole. With it distracted, he was able to kill the robot before it could deliver the final blow, but it was close.

Sole lay on the ground shaking, the smell of it was what struck him the hardest. Cooked flesh and burnt hair and clothes. He was about to wrap his arms around them and pull them to their feet but he realized that it would probably hurt them. Instead he removed their still burning clothing and tried to clean the wound. He frowned at the gaping fleshy injury, it was blistered and singed and cauterized so there was no blood. Whoever was going to fix this for them was going to have a hell of a time.

"Stay awake, okay, I don't want you going into shock" there wasn't much he could do but he knew the gunners had plenty of supplies at this hold. He was able to get Sole on their feet without too much trouble or, thankfully, to many chems. They were able to walk fine for a few hundred meters before collapsing.

"I can't do it" they said, gasping as their chest ached. There was no doubt that serious damage had been dealt, maybe even a few organs were charred but there was no telling for sure. MacCready looked around, hoping to be lucky and find a set of power armor to store them in until they got back to a settlement.

"You should go on without me" they wheezed, lowering themselves to the ground. He grimaced, there was no way he was leaving them there with injuries like that. Their chest was completely raw, stripped of the protective layer of outer skin and exposed to whatever the wasteland might throw at them.

"I'm not leaving you here so you can forget it" he spat and pulled their arm over his shoulder to bear most of their weight as he continued on. Sole was clearly in pain, they were trying to hold in their pain but every other step warranted a strained groan or a hiss. It was going to be a long walk back to the nearest settlement that could operate on Sole, but they would live. Their chest would scar and ache and peel and heal over in time, but for now they needed to stop for the night.

He was trying really hard not to let on how worried he was for Sole especially after forcing them to carry on. He stayed up and watched them, making sure they stayed alive through the night except those short periods when exhaustion took over. In truth he was terrified he'd lose them from going on a mission that he brought up. He would have blamed himself had they died and even now, as a fairly clean damp cloth covered their chest to give it slight protection from the elements, he was ashamed of himself.

Nick:

The courser took them by surprise, that much was certain. There must have been over fifty rounds fired between all three of them as they tried to kill the assassin. Once the enemy fell Nick was rattled but he didn't see Sole until he didn't hear their usual witty one-liner. He spun around to see them hunched over on the ground bleeding profusely.

"Shit, come on kid, you gotta get up" he sunk down in front of them, evaluating the damage. They had been sprayed with bullets, the courser had deadly accuracy that they had been warned about. There were six, no, seven severe injuries that he could count and he wasn't exactly versed in medicine.

He reached out and shifted their silver shroud attire so that he could get a full view. Eleven shots had made their mark and it didn't look good for Sole. They were panting and groaning and crying.

"Fuck, this hurts" was the most they were able to say in one coherent breath. There was a lot of blood but Nick did not panic. He could see that there was a low probability of their survival but that seemed hardly appropriate to discuss with them.

"You can't quit now, you've got a son out there to find" his voice was firm and he put his hand on their shoulder.

"We're getting you out of here then we're gonna find your boy. Hold on, this is going to smart." Sole tried to brace themselves for what he was about to do but using any of their core muscles only hurt more. He picked them up and slung them over his shoulder before racing from the building. There was a long steady scream from Sole as the pressure of his body against theirs made the pain radiate to their limbs.

"I hear ya, go on and yell but you're going to attract trouble hollerin' like that." Sole knew he wasn't wrong so they stifled their cries and groaned instead. Help wasn't too far off, Bunker hill had some form of doctor, he was sure, so that's where he was headed.

As soon as he delivered them to a medical gurney and the doctor took over he stepped out for a smoke. The likelihood that they'd live past this was raised exponentially now that they were out of harm's way. He never wanted to come that close to losing them again, he would have to be more careful next time.

Piper:

They were nearly defenseless against the ambush of mirelurks. She wasn't at all properly equipped with her measly 10mm so when Sole tossed her a combat shotgun she thought for sure that they had an advantage. That is until she discovered that she was the only one still shooting. Somewhere in the mass of man-sized crabs Sole was down. She hurried to kill the last few remaining mirelurks, though hurry is a stretch for what she did. It took a while to get a clear shot, and she wasn't used to the recoil of a shotgun.

As soon as she fell the last crustacean she rushed over to Sole, being careful not to accidentally step in the already rotting remains. Sole was covered in the viscera and rocked slowly, holding their left arm tightly. Piper's eyes widened when she saw the extent of the damage.

"Fucker nearly took it all the way off" Sole grunted, tears streaked their face. Exposed muscle and meat of Sole's arm made her gag and heave. She had never seen someone on the verge of losing a limb and this was not a sight she'd ever want to deal with.

"Holy shit, Blue" she could hardly hold back her disgust and Sole laughed curtly. Sure it hurt, it hurt real bad, but her expressions were always priceless.

"Pull yourself together, Piper. We have to get to a doctor." It was then that Sole realized that their legs were also badly mauled. As soon as they tried to stand blood oozed from a deep puncture wound in their thigh. With a loud groan and swear Sole crashed back to the ground. Piper screamed, not only was there more blood than she could handle, but the flesh of Sole's arm split briefly.

Sole shot her a look of disapproval but she couldn't stop flapping her hands. She was very disturbed and grossed out. She turned away from Sole and rubbed her forehead, taking a number of deep breaths.

"Oh, oh jeez. We should get you to a doctor or something" she turned to see Sole pulling meekly at the skin of their arm. She gagged and came closer to throwing up than she had in a long time.

"Stop that, help me up" she couldn't be of much use in this state. She fanned herself and looked upward to the sky.

"You're gonna have to stop that if you want me to help you, Blue, Christ!"

Sole grunted as Piper lifted them to their feet. She had wrapped their leg in a thing cloth tight enough for the feeling in their leg to go numb and prevent blood flow. Piper squirmed at first but once Sole put most of their weight on her she steadied herself.

"What are you gonna do if they can't fuse your arm together?" They struggled as they walked, Piper wasn't used to such a weight on her and Sole was having trouble staying off their bad leg.

"I'm trying not to think about it" Sole muttered through clenched teeth. Piper sighed, it was going be a long walk

Preston:

"General?" Preston called out into the rain-induced mist waiting for some kind of response but hearing anything over the rain would be a strain on the ears. The ground was loose and each step he took sunk him lower by a few inches. The radscorpions had the entire area infested and as far as he could tell, they were surrounded and down three minutemen.

He took careful steps and tried to see through the low heavy cloud of mist and fog. Thunder erupted a few miles away but shook the ground. He flinched at the loud cracking and realized that the ground shaking the way it did was not the thunder but a radscorpion emerging from the depths. He turned to his left and began firing at it before it plunged once more into the earth.

"Dammit!" they were too fast to take on alone, the very thought of it made him wonder relentlessly where the general was. Off in the distance a ways he heard the sound of rapid machinegun fire and shouting.

"Hang on, I'm coming!" Preston took off in the direction of the yells, sprinting as fast as he could before the ground raised up beneath him and sent him tumbling to the ground. The radscorpion was nearly upon him when he picked up his weapon and emptied a clip into its underside. It shriveled into itself with a loud shriek and he got to his feet again, reloading.

"Shit!" Preston's boot nearly slid in the mud as he started off again with a hurry. He hadn't run this hard since Quincy, he had the terrible feeling that he was too late. The gunfire ceased moments before he found Sole with a stinger through their gut. Preston could not kill the creature fast enough, as far as he knew it was too late.

The rain fell harder now as Preston fired the flare gun he kept on his hip. He hoped the flaming orb wouldn't fizzle out before help arrived. He fell to the ground at Sole's side and put pressure on the wound that was gushing blood and dark venom. Sole grabbed Preston's lapel and gasped for air sounding like a fish out of water.

"Just breathe, okay? Keep breathing General, help is on the way."

He hadn't been the praying type for years, he felt he had lost contact with whatever divine being there was over time but now he had nothing to lose. He prayed that Sole would live through this, that they would be okay, that they would make a full recovery and keep living.

Sole kept trying to talk but only gargling noises escaped them and Preston's eyes shot to theirs with wild concern. They didn't look good, they especially didn't sound too good, he was almost certain that Sole was going to die in his arms. Sole's hands slid over Preston's neck and down to his shoulders and rested finally on his chest. Their eyes fluttered from the rain, their strength leaving them. Preston shook his head and tapped Sole's face firmly.

"I'm not losing you, stay with me, stay awake!" He turned his head from side to side and started to become unhinged from his usual collected self.

"Help!" he called out over and over, shooting another flare skyward. He pulled Sole against his chest and cried; he didn't know what else to do but cry.

Soon but not soon enough a number of minutemen crowded around and took Sole away from Preston's arms. He knew the general would be safe, as long as Sole was in their company they'd be okay. He followed behind holding Sole's hand as two other men carried them on a makeshift stretcher.

Strong:

He knew his super mutants, he knew how nasty they could be, but in all his time in the commonwealth he had never encountered a behemoth. This was more than he could handle on his own and he was glad to have Sole with him. Super mutants don't travel alone, they don't fare well without the company of others. For a creature like this to be by himself made Strong wonder what had happened for it to become this huge.

"Brother, what are you?" he was legitimately curious, nothing like this had ever crossed his path. Unfortunately, it wasn't much of a talker. Instead it lifted up a boulder and hurled it towards Sole. Strong shoved his human companion back behind him and the battle broke out.

Of course Sole didn't stay there for long, protected by Strong. They stepped out from behind him long enough to do a great deal of damage to the behemoth before the mountainous creature rushed them. It was some sort of club that swept their feet out from under them. The flew back about ten feet and collided with the stony face of the hill. Strong didn't tolerate this one bit. He took advantage of the distraction and filled the behemoth with hundreds of rounds from his gattling laser.

"Human! Get up human." Strong trudged over to Sole and looked at them down his nose. When they didn't respond he nudged them with his foot with a heavy sigh. This method normally worked, Sole wasn't a light sleeper. He scowled and rolled them over with his foot this time, leaning in closer to observe them.

Sole's nose was bleeding and their arm was broken- or at least very dislocated- and their chest seemed misshaped. Strong grunted and he picked Sole up and carried them like a baby. He was worried, there was something wrong about this. He knew Sole was strong, they had to survive, **had to**. He didn't want to end up like that behemoth all alone and unintelligent.

Their breathing was shallow, he knew that much. He knew their chest wasn't supposed to be caved in like that. He knew they weren't supposed to bleed, not like this. He started talking to them, muttering mostly. He couldn't be alone, the danger was too great. He talked to them about his life as far back as he could remember, the brightness of waking up from a cloud. He was fussing over something, how Sole was positioned in his arms.

"No, no, no," he kept repeating himself every few minutes until he got to Sanctuary. Someone could help Sole, it wasn't him. It was nice to be around people again, it quieted his thoughts. As soon as the setters caught sight of Sole in his arms they ran for help.

"Help my human" he said calmly at first then it escalated.

"HELP STRONG HUMAN!" he shouted. The rage shook him and he gently set down Sole so he could stomp around. He was not handling it well anymore, it was as if suddenly he understood how close Sole was to dying. Sole would make a slow recovery and he knew that he could never be so careless with them again.

X6:

The Brotherhood attacked without warning. It was dawn, or just before, he couldn't remember. Most of them had been disbanded, left to trek back to the capital wasteland. Somehow they found them, Sole and X6, and their assault had been vicious. Parts of power armor had broken off and clanged to the ground as he and Sole fought back to the best of their ability despite being outnumbered. Somehow they got separated in the fire fight and X6 felt worry.

He was supposed to be their body guard, their relentless protector and now he couldn't find them. He called out for them after he fell his second knight and looked around. He clenched his jaw as he spun around and dropped three initiates in a matter of minutes. He called again, this time he heard them groan loudly. He ran over to them noisily, panting as he went.

He knelt down near them and put a gentle hand on their shoulder, his chest heaving. Everything had happened so fast he couldn't even catch his breath. Sole was laid out flat on their back, several ribs broken and possibly a punctured lung. X6 scanned them briefly, their vital signs were not looking good and they were definitely bleeding internally.

"Hold still, sudden movements will only impair your health further" Sole scoffed, he was still so formal about things.

"You don't have to worry about that, I don't plan on moving for a while." X6 nearly smiled except he was too consumed with dread. Even though their situation was quite dire they still had a terrible sense of humor.

"If Father knew I let this happen to you I'd be forced into tests for weeks."

"Yeah, I'm sure he's rolling in his grave as we speak" Sole chuckled.

" Can you stand?" X6 watched their face and understood by their grimace that it was not likely that they'd walk on their own.

"What happened to you anyway?" Sole turned their head and gestured to a mound of body parts and armor.

"That paladin over there kicked me in the chest then stood on top of me. Hell, X, this hurts. I don't know if I'm gonna make it."

X6 pulled Sole's pipboy into his lap and turned some dials, "you're not dying here, not like this." He was trembling but he wouldn't allow Sole to see it, he didn't know what he'd do if Sole didn't pull through. In an instant he and Sole were in the safety of the Institute. Someone screamed when they saw Sole in their thrashed state. There was no blood, it was all internal, but something about the way they looked was very disturbing.

Volkert rushed over to the two of them, X6 was still lowered close to Sole, not taking his hand from their shoulder. It was the little comfort he could readily provide. When Sole was carried by assistant gen 2s to the medical wing X6 didn't leave their side, but his hand slid down to firmly grip their forearm. He wouldn't be separated from them, the director of the Institute, they were his charge and he'd stand by them until he could no longer stand.

Codsworth:

He was so sure Sole could handle themselves that he didn't think twice when he heard shouting from somewhere behind him. Then he heard it again, more agitated this time before it fell silent again. He hovered there in waiting for a moment, turning to listen in for the faint but familiar voice. He decided if he heard them again he'd rush off and help. For the time being he continued to trim the hedges; slowly so that he would be able to hear Sole.

As soon as his master and friend cried out again he sped off in search of them. He zoomed over the bridge, muttering on about not letting them die, not after all he'd lost already. He found them surrounded by molerats and in the company of a strange dog. From what it looked like the dog was trying to help them so he wouldn't attack it, but he was wary.

Sole wasn't doing great against the vermin, they had only just emerged from the vault and he was not prepared to see them die. He tried to help, he really did but they had already done extensive damage to Sole. His flamethrower burned through five or six of the molerats before he was able to get a better look at Sole after the last one cooked.

Small festering bites covered their legs. There was quite a lot of blood and they were on their back, sputtering curses. Codsworth didn't see any fatal wounds, though he knew molerats were particularly nasty and if they carried diseases.

"Master, are you well?" Codsworth could tell that they were not in fact well, but he didn't know how bad off they were.

"No, buddy, I'm not well. You've dealt with 200 years of _this_? Ah, fuck!"

Codsworth flinched; he wasn't used to seeing Sole in such a bitter mood. He supposed he couldn't blame him; they were in a great amount pain. Asleep for hundreds of years and not 20 minutes out of the vault and they're already in trouble. He worried for them.

"Not to worry, I've got just the thing. Try to relax," he said. He fumbled with his claw of a hand while administering a stimpack. Sole hissed at the sting of the needle, it was vastly unpleasant but it helped the pain subside. Codsworth watched as Sole stood up and forced a grin.

"Perhaps we should travel together for the time being. I could be of assistance."

Sole looked over Codsworth, slowly starting to feel better but definitely not completely.

"You're probably right" they said, massaging their hip. "Let's get going."


	27. Baby Sitting Shaun

_"Are you sure you don't mind?"_

 _They look over at Sole hands resting lightly on Shaun's shoulders._

 _"I can take care of him, I promise."_

 _Sole shoots them a quick smile and presses a kiss to Shaun's forehead._

 _"It's only for today, okay? I'll be back tomorrow."_

 _"Don't worry, I bet I'll be taken care of."_

 _"You see? He's in good hands, now go on. We're gonna have fun without you."_

 _Sole smirked but turned to head out, taking one last backwards glance at Shaun and her trusted companion knowing that he'll be okay with them._

Cait and MacCready:

"You want to go learn to use a gun, boy?"

Shaun's eyes lit up as Cait smiled down at him.

"Are you kidding me? He's what, ten? You really think now is a good time for that?"

Cait hollered, laughing. "Weren't you some hot shot child mayor? You didn't get that way not knowing how to shoot, did you?"

MacCready scowled and forced his hands into his pockets. He looked at Shaun, his little face reminding him of his own son, still too young to wield a gun. Duncan was a toddler now, living in Sanctuary with everyone. Once he was grown enough he and Shaun would hopefully be good friends. If he had anything to say about it, he wouldn't _need_ to know how to shoot, but she was right that he _should_ know how.

"Besides," she continued after a minute, "who better to teach him how to aim?"

The former mercenary smiled then.

"Alright, okay, I guess you've got a point." He sighed, ruffling Shaun's hair, "let's get you a gun, huh?"

All three of them walked to the makeshift armory set up inside one of the old houses. Shaun had never been in there before, he was never allowed to. MacCready couldn't get enough of the kid's enthusiasm, it was like seeing a smaller version of himself.

"I want the big one!" Shaun called out, pointing to the minigun with the modified shredder barrel. Cait raised a brow and shot MacCready a look that said plenty.

"Err… maybe we'll start you out with something smaller, that way you can use it without too much help."

He picked up the pipe pistol and blew the dust off of it. Even though Danse kept the guns in functioning order, it had been some time since he had gotten to this one.

"How 'bout this one? It's very simple but very effective in a tight spot. Your mom knows tons of mods for this little gun alone."

He placed it in Shaun's hands once he was sure there wasn't a round in the chamber and none in the clip. Shaun looked at the gun carefully, turning it over in his hands and pointing it to the wall in front of him. Cait watched with a soft grin, it was unlike anything she had ever seen before. This boy's excitement was enough for her to see why Sole kept the synthetic child around.

"Can Duncan go with us?" Shaun looked up at MacCready, his eyes wide.

"Not this time, he's still too little. Maybe in a few years when he's as big as you."

As they left the immediate safety of Sanctuary MacCready went to go check on his son. Marcy was cooing over him like the son she had lost. It did the entire community good to have the boys there; he was about to ask her to watch him but it went without saying that she gladly would.

They hiked a small way to the entrance of vault 111 where they were still close to home, but far enough that no one would get hurt on accident.

"Where do the bullets go?"

Cait sat down on the great steel platform and took the gun from Shaun, her hand enveloped his and he looked at her curiously.

"There are three big rules, young Shaun. One, don't point the gun at someone unless you want them dead."

MacCready slid his hand over his face, she was not delicate at all. She had no filter around kids, it's a wonder they didn't pick up her foul language.

"Two, always assume the gun is loaded just in case it is. And three, only pull the trigger if you're sure you want to shoot."

MacCready groaned and knelt beside Shaun, placing his hand on his shoulder. Shaun turned to face him, his smile replaced by wonder.

"You remember all those rules?"

Shaun nodded, his brow creasing in thought. "Don't kill anyone on accident. Pretend there are bullets. Only shoot if you're sure."

MacCready patted the boy on the back and straightened up, "that sound about right, Auntie Cait?"

Cait ignored the smirk from MacCready and only smiled at Shaun, pinching his cheek before giving the gun to MacCready for him to load. Shaun was beaming as if he had just passed an important exam and he watched his 'Uncle Mac' load the weapon.

"Okay, Shaun, guns are dangerous and deadly always remember that."

"Dangerous and deadly, got it."

"They are also very loud but you get used to that after a while."

"Okay."

"Do you see that barrel over there, the yellow one?"

Shaun nodded as he spotted the target.

"I'm going to shoot at that barrel and then it can be your turn, okay? It's gonna be loud."

Shaun went to cover his ears, but Cait's hands beat him there. He smiled as he waited for MacCready to take the shot but jumped all the same when it finally happened.

"My turn?"

Cait laughed as he ran forward to stand with MacCready.

"Do you want my help?"

Shaun shook his head as he held the gun out in front of him, aiming at the barrel about 20 yards away. There was a long pause and both adults waited patiently but exchanged looks between each other that suggested otherwise.

"Could one of you cover my ears?"

Cait volunteered, covering the young boy's ears. He held the gun steadily and took two shots back to back, surprising himself with the very mild kick.

"Whoa!"

"Keep going, kid, you have a few more rounds left!"

Cait enjoyed watching him grow as a person, it was times like this when she almost wished he was human so that he would grow to be a man someday. She hoped he would continue to develop and anything they did together made an influence on him, but there would be little to no way of knowing.

He finished off the clip and watched the gun smoke. MacCready stepped around them and took the gun, making sure the rounds were spent.

"Let's go see how you did, little man."

They rushed over to the barrel to see three of the five remaining shots made their mark not including MacCready's.

"Looks like we got a crack shot here, Mac."

"You did good, kid, check you out!"

Shaun heard them, but he wasn't listening, he just kept looking between the bullet holes that he created. He reached out and touched the barrel.

"I wanna do it again!"

MacCready smiled at Cait with an air of confidence.

"Alright, let's go again, buddy."

Deacon and Curie:

Deacon took Shaun by the hand and led him towards Curie who was taking notes on how well the experimental crops were growing.

"Look who we got for the day," he said, raising Shaun's hand as if to show him off. Curie was ecstatic, nearly dropping her notes to smother the boy in small kisses on the cheeks and forehead.

"Auntie Curie, please, you're embarrassing me!" Shaun fussed and wiggled free of Curie's grip on the back of his head.

"Yeah, Curie, you're smothering the kid. What are we gonna do? You got any fun ideas?"

Curie scoffed and smiled at Deacon, gesturing for them to follow her to the work bench area. She set down her clipboard and pen along with her lab coat and leaned forward to face Shaun.

"What do you want to do?"

Deacon made a face that she missed but he cleared his throat.

"How bout we play a game?"

Shaun grinned and turned to look between the two of them to confirm the plan.

"That sounds like a wonderful idea, Deacon!"

"Great, let's find Dogmeat's ball."

After a few minutes of chasing down the dog and trying to get his favorite toy away from him, Shaun ran back over to Deacon with the big red ball intact.

"What now, Uncle Deacon?"

"Now we play ball. You and Curie have to get the ball away from me and put it through that hoop up there. Try not to let me get any points. Are you ready?"

"Yeah!"

Curie made for a decent team mate but since it was two against one, the odds were meant to be fair. Instead the odds were stacked against them because Deacon was more spry than he let on. Shaun was having the time of his life, whenever they got the ball from Deacon, Curie lifted him up to throw the ball in.

"Hey, no fair!"

" I can lift you up too, if you require Deacon." Deacon feigned offence as Curie giggled at him.

Shaun laughed as Deacon smirked, "maybe we should just put you in the hoop, little guy."

Shaun poked his tongue out at Deacon and grabbed the ball. He jumped as he threw it, but he missed and the ball went bouncing away from them. Dogmeat barked excitedly as he bounded out from his little house, stealing the ball and running off with it. The sun had dropped to the horizon, the sky was ablaze with orange and red.

"Damn. He's not gonna give it up again."

"Monsieur Deacon, please!"

"What, he's a good kid. Don't talk like your Uncle Deacon, alright?"

Shaun nodded, his eyes following Dogmeat, a smile played across his face. Deacon followed Shaun's gaze and chuckled, "I bet we could catch him."

Before Shaun had a chance to respond Deacon took off after the dog, followed by Curie. "Guys, wait for me!"

They couldn't quite catch Dogmeat, but that didn't mean that they didn't all have fun. Curie and Shaun had higher stamina than Deacon and he struggled to keep up with them. He sat down in the field, winded and worn while he watched Curie scoop Shaun up in her arms. She trudged towards Deacon while carrying Shaun and plopped down beside him.

They sat together, catching their breath. Dogmeat tossed the ball around in the distance and growled happily.

"You ready for another game?"

Shaun shook his head and leaned back onto the ground, "no thank you."

Curie smiled down at him then glanced over at Deacon who was also smiling.

"I'm out of shape," he sighed heavily and rubbed his legs.

Curie shook her head and patted his knee, "I don't think so. You're in good shape."

"I'm ready for bed, I think."

They both looked over at Shaun and snickered.

"Alright, bud, let's get you to bed."

Curie watched as Deacon picked up the synth boy with great care.

"It's hard to believe you were never a father," she said, following them to Sole's house. Deacon didn't respond as he carefully laid Shaun into his bed.

"Goodnight, little guy."

Danse and Piper:

Danse was unsettled at first, he had never had to take care of a child that wasn't a scribe under his charge. He was quick to assume that being Sole's child meant that he had to be good at following orders at least.

"Alright, soldier, let's take a walk."

Piper rolled her eyes, "he's not a soldier, Danse, he's just a kid."

"Plenty of scribes are children, Piper. Would you like to walk with us?"

She pulled off her jacket and set it down on the back of the couch she had been resting on.

"Sure, let's go."

Shaun walked between Danse and Piper and looked around curiously as they went.

"Where are we going, Paladin Danse?"

Danse looked down at Shaun from the corner of his eye and smiled, "it's a hike, son, there's not defined location but we will end up back home."

Shaun was quiet then, face twisted in thought. Piper felt Shaun reach for her hand and she hummed to herself. It was peaceful out there despite Danse's clanking metal suit.

"Have you ever thought about crawling out of that exoskeleton of yours, Danse?"

Danse cocked his head and shrugged, "I figured we're out here in the wilderness, you me and a young boy. It would be safer for me to have this protection so I can take fire while you two flee on foot."

Piper sighed, dragging her fingers over the gun on her hip with her free hand, "I'm sure the both of us can hold our own without having to flee."

Shaun chimed in; grabbing Danse's hand, "why did you call me son?"

All three of them stopped in their tracks, color rose to Danse's cheeks and he looked at Shaun.

"It's just a name, Shaun, there's no further meaning behind it."

Shaun searched Danse's face and pouted, "so I shouldn't call you Papa Danse?"

Piper clasped her hands over her mouth and gasped. Danse sighed and knelt in front of Shaun.

"You can call me that if you want, if it makes you comfortable. Papa is what you call Nick, right? Like a grandfather?"

"Yes, but you're not as old as he is." Danse laughed at that, it was a nice thought that he didn't look as old as he felt on most days.

Piper was on the verge of tears, she had never seen anything so adorable. She wanted to intervene to save Danse the stress of embarrassment but she wanted to see the outcome of it all.

"If you want to call me that, then that is an acceptable alternative to Paladin."

Shaun was all smiles now and pulled at their hands, leading them on their hike. There was much to be seen on their outing, most of it involved harvesting wild mutfruit and eating way too much of it.

"I can't believe you ate all those fruits, Shaun. You're gonna get sick." Piper cleaned his face with a rag and watched as he rubbed his hand over his belly.

"I think I might already be sick," he murmured before belching away from Piper's face.

"I thought so, come on, let's head back."

Danse picked him up with no effort and stomped off back towards Sanctuary. Piper followed closely and held Shaun's hand as he drooped his arm over Danse's shoulder.

"You doing okay?" Piper rubbed his palm with her thumb and smiled shyly but he closed his eyes and groaned.

"You shouldn't have let him eat all of those mutfruits, Piper. What's Sole going to say? You've managed to poison their son."

Piper laughed grimly, stepping around him and poking him in the chest while walking backwards. "You've got a lot of nerve, saying that. You know how much I care about him. Besides, so what if he gets a little sick, all kids get belly aches now and then."

Danse shook his head, "you were careless."

"You could have stopped me! Why is this all my fault?"

"It's called taking initiative, Piper, if you would just take things seriously for one-"

"Guys, please! I know you both care, but don't argue about me!"

They were quiet as they walked, the tension was still there but now it simmered to silence. It was a short walk to Sanctuary from where they were now that the shortest pair of legs weren't hindering their speed.

Danse hopped out of his suit as Piper tucked Shaun into bed and sat beside her at his bedside.

"I'm sorry we argued earlier, Shaun. Sometimes adults don't agree on things, but we still care about each other, I promise."

Danse watched her as she spoke and then turned his attention to Shaun, putting his hand on his forehead and forcing a smile.

"She's right, and we care about you a lot. If you're feeling sick still later you can come find one of us. Don't worry if we're asleep, we want you to be okay."

Piper nodded, hearing Danse's more paternal instincts come out was strange and new, but it was nice. He was good with Shaun, better than she gave him credit for. She could only hope he thought the same about her.

Nick and Dogmeat:

"Papa Nick! I didn't know you were going to be here!"

Nick smiled and hugged Shaun tight, "always good to see you, kid."

Shaun stepped back and laughed as the old detective placed his hat on him.

"Are we gonna work a case today?"

"Sure we are, in fact it just crossed the desk this morning. Case of the missing Mr. Handy. Think you can help me solve it?"

"Can we take Dogmeat?"

"You bet, kid. Let's get that mutt and search for clues."

This was Shaun's favorite game, ever since he had first met Nick and learned that he was a detective, he wanted to be just like him. Nick lit up a cigarette as Shaun ran off for Dogmeat, watching him vigilantly.

"Come on, boy, we're on the case!"

Dogmeat barked and followed closely on Shaun's heels as he ran back to meet Nick.

"The Mr. Handy was last seen not far from these parts, we should head over there and-"

"Look for clues?"

"Sounds good to me, Shaun."

He didn't want to make it too easy for the boy, besides he was told that Shaun had more fun when Nick was the classic terse detective. Nick followed behind Shaun, taking slow strides and watching what he would do next. They made it as far as the last house before the bridge before Shaun sprung into action.

"Think this might be a clue?" Shaun hovered over a mop and bucket abandoned just outside the house while Dogmeat sniffed around.

"That all depends, what do you think happened here?" Nick stood behind Shaun and listened to him hum.

"Maybe Codsworth- err… Mr. Handy left in a hurry. Maybe he was chased? Or maybe kidnapped? We better find him!"

"You're probably right about one of those. Where do you think we should check?"

Shaun stood up and looked around, pacing a little between the door way and the sidewalk. His hands in his pockets, mirroring Nick's behavioral patterns. The detective's eyes trailed after Shaun, he grinned seeing the youngster copy what he'd seen him do.

"Dogmeat, sniff for Mr. Handy's scent, maybe you can find him!"

Nick knew that the dog wouldn't be able to pick up the scent of a robot as they left no trail of odor, but it was a cute thought. Dogmeat whined and walked in a circle before sitting down with a grunt.

"I guess not," said Shaun, feeling down. "Let's check the house, there should be more clues there!"

Rebounding quickly, he jogged into the house in search of more evidence. Scattered all over the kitchen were empty boxes of abraxo cleaner.

"Aha! He's out of cleaner! I'll bet he went to red rocket to get more!"

"Let's see if you're right about that."

Dogmeat stayed several yards in front of them as they walked to the filling station.

"You know, you're a natural, Shaun, I think you'll make a great detective when you get older."

"I can't get older, Papa Nick, I'm stuck a kid forever!" Shaun laughed but Nick felt a strange sadness wash over him.

"That's not necessarily true. I was there when Curie got a new body. She was a Miss Nanny, you know. I'm sure they could do the same for you."

Shaun thought about it silently as they walked close. He never knew that about Curie, so he didn't know that he could be put in a new body.

"But then what would happen to this body?"

Nick considered lighting a new cigarette, the butt o the old one still hanging from his mouth until he spit it out just then. The kid had so many questions, always so curious about everything like any normal kid should be. It was so hard to believe he was a synth, even harder to believe that he wasn't afraid of what that meant.

They got to red rocket just in time to see Codsworth buzzing about frantically. Shaun was beaming when they approached him and Dogmeat jumped around until he rolled in the dirt, yapping happily.

"Honestly, Dogmeat, how you won the affection of sir/mum will continue to amaze me. You are filthy and I can't find anymore abraxo!"

"Codsworth, there you are!"

The robot shifted to look at Shaun and moved over to him, looking back and forth from one synth to another.

"Master Shaun, and Detective Valentine! Always good to see you! Solving another case, are you? Wonderful, what was it this time? Missing Abraxon cleaner I hope, as it seems to have vanished completely!"

Shaun chuckled and shook his head, "no, Codsworth, the case of the missing Mr. Handy!"

"Ah, I see, and look at that, you have found me! Excellent work, detectives!"

"I was just telling him he ought to be a proper private investigator when he grows up," Nick added, firmly grasping Shaun's shoulder.

"And what a splendid idea that is."

"That would be so cool! I learned from the best, though. Thank you, Papa Nick. Let's find some cleaner for Codsworth now."

Nick laughed nervously and scratched the back of his head, "I don't know, Shaun, Codsworth may have used it all. You can't find what isn't there. That's the first big rule of being a detective. In other words, know when there's nothing you can do."

Shaun nodded and grabbed Nick's hand, "that was fun, I'm ready to go home now."

"I'll come with you sirs, I'm afraid you're right about that rule. It appears there is no abraxo left to be found."

Preston and Strong:

Strong watched closely as Shaun and Preston approached his tower and he climbed down warily. He seldom ever descended from his nest where he could watch everyone but this was seemed important.

"What." It wasn't a question, but Preston was prepared to talk with the super mutant.

"The general has given orders to watch Shaun here. He's been very curious about you but he hasn't exactly been permitted to come close to you."

Strong huffed and looked the boy over while reaching out to poke him in the chest.

"Strong watches you. You don't grow like other little humans."

"I'm a synth."

Strong groaned and shifted his focus to Preston.

"Thought we don't like synths?"

Preston waved his hand and protectively put the other hand on Shaun's shoulder.

"Some synths are good, big guy. This is the General's son. You'll treat him with as much respect as you would for them."

"Besides," Shaun chimed in, "you're a super mutant and we like you. It's only fair, right?"

Strong crossed his arms, looking up at his tower and then back at the boy, "fair."

Preston smiled and exhaled slowly, "now that that's out of the way. What do you want to do, Shaun?"

Shaun couldn't take his eyes off Strong, he was never allowed to be this close to him, "why are you called Strong?"

"Because I am STRONG!"

"How strong?"

"The most strong."

"Could you pick me up?"

"Too easy."

Strong bent his knees to get down to eye-level with Shaun. He then grabbed him under the arms and lifted him up. Shaun let out a quick shout, a mixture of surprise and delight. Preston watched, he trusted Strong wouldn't harm a hair on Shaun's head. Strong then set the synth back down and smirked having proved his strength to the boy's standards.

"Could you pick up Uncle Preston?"

Preston shook his head vehemently and took a step back, "that won't be necessary. Take his word for it, he's very strong."

Shaun laughed and began to circle around Strong, taking in his entire image.

"We were going to go fishing, Strong, would you like to join us?"

Strong pried his eyes from Shaun and looked at the minuteman through cautious eyes.

"No fish in that wa-"

"Whoa whoa, I know that but hey, it could be fun. Besides, it's something he's wanted to do."

Strong grunted, staring at Preston for a long time as Shaun went back to stand at his side. Without a word he climbed back into his tower and Shaun shoved his hands in his pockets.

"I guess he doesn't want to go with us."

"He's not very sociable, Shaun, it's best to just let him- WATCH OUT!"

He pulled Shaun back towards him and he stepped back a few feet as a large green bag fell from the tower and Strong leapt down to meet them.

"Fish want bait," he lifted up the sack of rotting meat and gave it a shake.

"Right, good thinking Strong." Shaun jumped for joy and followed behind Preston as Strong trudged off towards the irradiated river. Before they reached the bank Strong turned to Preston.

"Garvey human will need protection from green stuff."

Preston cocked his head both at the sentiment and the use of the term 'green stuff'.

"Oh!" It clicked after a moment, radiation. He had a few radaway if it came to that point but he intended to stay out of the water.

Strong used a crude method of jigging a fishing line; a small sack of bullet shrapnel, a chunk of strange meat, and a bent nail were all tied to the line. He handed the pole to Shaun and watched him, wondering how he'd go about casting off.

"What do I do?"

Preston was about to tell him when Strong held out a hand to stop him

"Learn by doing."

"What?"

Preston raised a brow, impressed with Strong's technique on helping Shaun. It reminded him of his parents, they were always trying to let him do it his way before explaining their way so that he could decide which way was better.

They both watched Shaun struggle with the weight of the pole as he held it over his head and tried to fling the line out. As this went on (he tried that way twice more before deciding it was ineffective) Preston set up his own pole in a similar fashion to Strong's.

"Here, Shaun, hold line, then let go."

Shaun wrinkled his brow, frustrated and nearly fed up, before trying again with Strong's instructions. When the line flew out into the river he smiled and laughed.

"Thanks, Strong."

It was quiet while they sat there except for the sound of the river rushing by and bugs.

"Where did you learn to fish?"

Strong slammed the pole in between some rocks so that it stood on its own and sat down with a thud.

"You hungry enough, you figure it out." He then turned to Preston and tried to lower his voice to a whisper but he wasn't good at it. "But no fish in this river. Only big crabs. Need a trap."

Preston nodded, he didn't want to lure any mirelurks too close to Sanctuary, let alone anywhere near Shaun. He wasn't familiar with building traps from scratch, they were just always easy to find near rivers. Maybe he'd have to take Strong up on that one day.

"I think I got something," Shaun shouted. Sure enough there was a lack of slack in his line and Preston hurried to help Shaun reel it in.

"Go ahead and start reeling, pull that lever on the side."

Shaun reeled frantically, but the line wasn't giving and the pole kept bending.

"It might be stuck on something" Preston hissed, adjusting his hat further back so he could get a better line of sight.

"What do we do?" Shaun sounded defeated and he stopped reeling, the pole relaxed.

"I'll go pull it out, wait here."

"But the rads!"

"I'll just be a second, hang on."

Strong was ready to protest but he had also been waiting to see Preston prove his strength. Preston walked into the river, immediately regretting it as water seeped into his boots and wet his pant legs. He reached the end of the fishing line and plunged his hand into the water, feeling around for whatever it was stuck on while also trying to avoid the makeshift hook.

"Well I'll be damned."

"What? What happened, Uncle?"

Preston dipped his other hand in, freeing the line and pulled up a box.

"Looks like you've found some treasure, Shaun!"

Strong walked over to Preston who was struggling with the weight of the box and took the burden from him. Once they were back on dry land they set down the box, opened it, and dumped it on its side. Water flushed out leaving three gold bars behind.

"Shaun! We're rich! You found some buried treasure! Go tell Sturges, we'll carry it back for you."

Shaun, smiling like it was all that was giving him life, ran back up the hill towards town. Strong was staring at Preston with astonishment.

"You knew there was no fish in river."

"You're not gonna tell him, are you?"

"No, not tell him. I found the milk of human kindness today. Thank you."

Preston tipped his hat with a smile and they both carried the box up the hill.

X6 and Hancock:

"You know where I was thinkin' we head off to?"

"You are not about to suggest Goodneighbor are you? That is unacceptable."

Hancock laughed at X6's flatness, "you're such a square, you know that?"

X6 furrowed his brow and looked down at Shaun. He felt like he was not equipped to take care of a small child or Shaun, but at least he would try to keep them out of trouble. His lips curled into a smile at the thought of Hancock being equated to a child and Shaun smiled back.

"Are we going to Goodneighbor?" Shaun was full of curiosity but so naive as to what was and was not good for him.

"Absolutely not. That is not a suitable place for a young synth your age."

Shaun grumbled and kicked some gravel around

"He would have a ball and you know it."

"No, he would be exposed to drug use and promiscuity."

Shaun sighed and crossed his arms, "well can we do _something_?"

"Yeah, courser, can we do something? I'm dying here."

X6 swallowed hard, he regretted telling Sole that he would be capable of taking care of Shaun but he had to remind himself that he was a better alternative to Hancock- even if the ghoul wanted to help. He looked around and thought back to when the real Shaun was a boy and what he enjoyed doing. His eyes rested on the giant dead tree in the center of town and nodded.

"Let's build him a swing. The ones in that playground are broken. Even if we were to repair them they would only provide so much range of motion."

Hancock grinned and shifted his weight, patting Shaun on the back.

"Let me get this straight, you want to build a potentially dangerous swing for him? I'm in. what do we do?"

"That's gonna take a whole lot of rope," Shaun murmured, looking all the way up to the lowest branches of the tree.

"Exactly. We find the rope and the rest is easy."

"Alright, kid, let's get looking for some rope huh?"

Shaun nodded and he ran off with Hancock, sure they'd find some length of rope or another. In the meantime X6 set to work constructing the seat. A plank of wood would not be sturdy enough for the job, instead he used a broken chair. He wouldn't be needing the legs, just the seat and back. It would be perfect, he decided, especially if Shaun did actually grow (he wasn't sure how child synths were programmed as far as if they grew or not).

"Is this enough? It's all I got."

Sturges held out a wound up bit of rope, about 50 meters worth, and handed it to Shaun. It was heavier than it looked and the boy stumbled into Hancock with a laugh.

"I think that'll do. What do you want for it?"

Sturges rubbed his jaw and nodded, motioning towards Hancock's head.

"How about you let me wear that hat for the rest of the day?"

Hancock cackled, "and what, cover up that pretty hair of yours? That'll only be a disservice to the rest of us."

"Alright, alright," Sturges smirked and folded his arms. "No need to be such a flirt, go on."

Hancock took the rope from Shaun and winked at Sturges before heading back toward the tree.

"Were you really flirting with Sturges?" Shaun asked, having to walk a little fast to keep up with the mayor, a smile forming on his face.

"It's called knowing your audience, kid. If you're charismatic enough, you can get away with anything."

Shaun shrugged, picking up the slack of the rope that Hancock dropped.

"You call that a seat?" Hancock mocked loosely as he set down the rope.

"You call that fashion?" X6 retorted, tying one end of the rope to the chair. Hancock laughed hardily, pressing his hands to his chest as if he had been wounded.

"You might need to climb up there and secure it." X6 looked up and then back at Hancock who was shaking his head.

"Hell no."

"You're not afraid of heights, are you?" Shaun tugged at Hancock's sleeve playfully.

"I'm not afraid."

"I think he's afraid," X6 said, smirking at Shaun until the boy smiled.

"I said I'm not afraid, alright? Why don't you do it if you're so tough, huh?"

X6 made the third strong knot on the one end of the seat and handed it to Hancock. He wrapped the rope around himself and went to the tree, keeping eye contact with him the whole time. Hancock grunted, heat radiating from him in a slow rage.

Once X6 got to the thickest, lowest branch he wrapped the rope around it several times before sliding down to the ground on the free end of it.

"if you're scared, just say you're scared."

"Fuck off," Hancock said, shoving the seat against X6's chest.

"Language, citizen," X6 laughed as he started with more knots on the other side of the seat.

"Yeah, sorry Shaun. Cover your ears for me would you?"

Shaun pressed his hands to his ears and hummed like Hancock had showed him. It worked wonders, the angry ghoul and the courser were exchanging words, none of which he heard. X6 seemed to be laughing off whatever Hancock was saying, he always did have a way of diverting anger in others. Hancock seemed to be settling down after a minute or two until they were both laughing and Shaun freed his ears.

"- even if it was just once it still counts."

X6 shook his head, letting the swing fall from his hands and it swayed back and forth.

"That may be so, but I have no plans of doing it again. Now, sit down, you're going to test it for safety."

Hancock was actually excited to try it out, he sat down eagerly and kicked himself backwards hard, splaying his legs out in front of him. He was hollering, having a fun time until X6 stopped him and pushed him really hard- then Hancock screamed.

Shaun laughed, ready to try it out himself but he stayed patient. If something went wrong he knew Hancock would be able to recover better than he would. Eventually he came to a halt, clinging on to the seat for dear life.

"Thought you said you weren't scared of heights," Shaun teased as Hancock slithered from the chair and walked around for a bit.

Shaun sat down in the seat, his toes barely off the ground, "I'm ready!"

"Not so fast," X6 said, sliding a metal helmet onto Shaun's head. "For safety."

Shaun nodded, his vision severely obstructed from the helmet, but still excited.

"On three, one… two…three!"

Shaun was suddenly whizzing through the air, he too was holding on to the ropes. X6 didn't push him as hard as he did Hancock, but it was still a rush. Shaun had never felt the pull of gravity so strongly before as he swung back and then forward again.

"Sole's not gonna like this," Hancock mumbled. X6 shrugged, smiling at Shaun who was having the time of his life.


	28. Nora's pregnant

Curie:

She was alerted to Nora's pregnancy the moment they met but she didn't bring it up until she was placed into her synth body.

"Nora, are you aware of your… situation?"

Nora became quite rigid, her hands smoothing out Curie's new dress had stilled and she looked up to Curie before rising from her knees.

"I might have to take it in a little, it's still too big for you."

"Nora, you're pregnant." Curie grew more curious, the lines of Nora's face were hard now as she turned away.

"I don't want to talk about it Curie," she started, turning away.

"It's too late to ignore, Nora, it's about three months in already. Please, we should discuss the proto-"

" _Enough_!" Nora shouted, dropping the scissors and thread, leaving the room to sit down in another room. Curie gave her a minute to cool off while she picked up the materials. She understood why Nora might be upset, the wastes would be a hard place to raise a child and with her son missing as it was she could have a difficulty with that.

"Curie, come sit with me," Nora called from the living room. Curie stripped from her unfinished dress and put on her casual clothes before meeting Nora.

"I'm sorry for yelling at you. It's just that I'm scared. Part of me was relieved to discover Shaun was 10- despite growing up in the Institute and being raised by someone else- at least he wasn't an infant out here."

Curie intertwined her fingers in Nora's and the other arm found its way around her shoulders.

"I don't even know how I'm going to raise this baby without Nate. I always thought he'd be there with me through it all."

"I know that I am not Monsieur Nate, but if you would like, I can be here for you."

Nora leaned into Curie and nodded against her side, "I'd like that."

 _4 months later_

Nora was fiddling with the ring on her finger that she would soon have to take off again. Despite it being the coldest part of the year, it was still fairly warm- a side effect of destroying the atmosphere. Curie was working on the third batch of mirelurk cakes that day and she was happy just to help.

"I'm going to starve to death!"

Curie chuckled, setting the cakes on a plate and bringing them to Nora.

"I doubt you will starve, it's been an hour since last you ate, I'm sure you will survive."

Nora pouted but quickly switched to a smile once Curie set the plate down in front of her.

"They're- hot." Curie tried to warn her but Nora seemed to be immune to the heat in her mouth.

"I'm concerned that you're not putting on enough weight, Nora. You are eating for two now, remember?"

Nora cackled and started on the next cake.

"This isn't enough weight? What, do you want me to be fat?"

Curie winced, there was a fine line between eating too much and just enough. In truth she had never dealt with a pregnancy before but she had been trained on the matter before becoming a scientist. However a lot of that training had an override on it to make room for testing, nomenclature and basic first aid.

"Still, you should be mindful of what you eat also, I will prepare stewed carrots for dinner."

Nora groaned deeply, picking up the plate, and she left the room.

 _3 months later_

Nora was writhing around on the bed in the clinic, she had been in labor for the last 5 hours and any minute now she was going to give birth. Curie was there, holding her hand and fanning her with the other.

"Not much longer now," the doctor insisted. But Nora wasn't listening, she was just growing more impatient and it was showing.

"Get it out of me already! Just yank it out!"

The doctor looked up at Nora, then Curie, then kind of made a noise like a hissing laugh then shook her head. "Absolutely not, there are too many complications involved to-"

Nora cut her off with a shrill scream and the rest seemed to happen very fast. So fast, in fact, that Nora may have blacked out on most of it. The pain killers were not sufficient and the pain was just too severe.

"Nora, Nora wake up, it's over. You did great."

Nora awoke in her own home with Curie sitting beside her. Her entire body ached and she wasn't able to sit up but she saw Curie and then she saw the baby.

"We never decided on a name, so I wanted to wait for you to wake up before calling him anything."

"It's a boy?"

Curie nodded and carefully placed the baby in Nora's arms.

"You needed some stitches, the doctor and I both recommend you stay in bed for at least a week. I know you have duties but your health is important, that comes first."

Nora didn't scoff like she normally would have. Instead she was intently focused on her brand new baby boy. "I want to name him Nathan, after his father."

Curie nodded, smiling at the two of them. Nora's dreamlike awe was suddenly overtaken by sadness, guilt and pain. She started crying, not tears of joy, and Curie could tell it would be hard on her then. She took the baby and let Nora cry. She had read up on post-pregnancy cases, there were some occasions when women were horribly depressed for months. She had hoped it wouldn't be like that for Nora but in reality she knew it would be.

Nora wanted to turn away and hide or leave to the other room and disappear for a few hours but she couldn't even roll onto her side. She was getting frustrated and she cried harder and she wanted to be alone but she didn't want to be mean to Curie so she just started screaming in hopes that Curie got the hint.

She did, she was always perceptive about things like that. "Call if you need me," she said. "I'll be in the next room." And for all that Nora was hurting about, she was grateful she wasn't completely alone in this.

Danse:

"I feel like we should talk about this. We both have a lot to say on the matter and I know you want to talk, so let's talk."

Nora sat down across from Danse in the bunker. It had been two months since she had liberated him from the Brotherhood (at least that's how she saw it) and they really didn't get to talk much.

"Do you mean us? I've had a lot of time to think about it, Nora and I feel like you're right. If I deserved you as a Paladin in the Brotherhood of Steel, then I deserve you as I am now."

He spoke with bravado that took all of 60 days for him to muster up. Before now he was almost too pitiful to be around. Nora shifted uncomfortably in her suit and took a deep breath.

"You know I love you, then, and I want us to be happy together. There's something I haven't been entirely honest with you about."

He furrowed his brows and stood up, crossing his arms. "It's about Arthur, isn't it?"

She barked a laugh and shook her head, "no, goodness. However when you see what I mean you're going to think I'm lying, I just want you to know that at this rate it's impossible for me to be lying."

Another deep breath and she took his hand in hers. His expression did not change.

"Before the war Nate and I were trying for another child. I didn't think it would take, what with the stress of a nuclear apocalypse and the Commonwealth and the Institute and Shaun. Well, as it turns out…"

Her voice trailed off as she dropped his hand and ejected herself from the power armor. His jaw dropped when he saw her as she was. Her jumpsuit was unzipped a little to relieve the tension of her rounded belly, the line of flesh disappearing beneath the zipper.

"I'm pregnant. About five or six months. I know it's no technically yours but, if you'll have me-"

She didn't get the chance to finish her plea before his arms were around her and her head pressed against his chest. All the pain and anguish he had bottled up for months about her leaving him and only visiting so often had disappeared. He had been so worried that she would have an affair with someone else, more likely than not the very Elder that was hell bent on having him destroyed. But it was like she said, the timeline wouldn't have added up.

"You want me to… to be the… the father?"

He loosened his hold on her and she looked up at him with a smile. "I wouldn't want anyone else."

He kissed her gently, trying his best to fight off the tears that were welling up. He had always wanted a family with three or four children to his name; even if Nora's baby wasn't his blood, he would raise them as his own. He then looked around at the place and scowled.

"This is probably not a good place for you to have a child."

"I was thinking the same thing. If you're ready to get out of here, I want you to come live with me at Sanctuary."

He was quiet for a minute, swaying with her in his arms and then sighed.

"I've said so many hurtful things to the people there, how could they forgive me?"

"They will, I promise it will be alright."

"Wait, did you walk all the way here? Shouldn't you be resting or something?"

She clicked her tongue to her teeth and shimmied away from him, "I'm pregnant, not handicapped. Come on, let's go home."

 _Two months later_

Danse had made himself at home with the others at Sanctuary, he had made a public appearance and apologized for all the wrong he had done. He was pleasantly surprised when it was all alright, just like Nora said it would be. Of late he was struggling to keep her off her feet for long periods of time like she was used to.

"The settlement isn't too far, it will only be one day at most."

"I'm not letting you leave, Nora, you're very vulnerable right now. I do have high confidence in your skills, I just don't know that it'll be very wise to go into battle right now."

They stared at each other for a long time before she finally gave in and told a small group of Minutemen to handle it for her.

"I know you would rather be out there saving the day, but it's just for now. You'll be back on the front lines in no time."

They spent a lot of time cuddling together; Danse with his hand rested lightly on her belly and being delighted every time the baby kicked. She never got enough of that, he was just so happy-looking, like nothing she had seen in him before.

"I think it's time we start talking names, big guy."

He was stroking her hair while half asleep and her voice made him jump slightly.

"Hmm?"

"What should we name it?"

He didn't answer immediately and she rolled over to see him deep in thought. His eyes were moving back and forth over a spot on the wall and she watched him contently.

"I don't know many names. In the Brotherhood we went by surname so I don't know very many first names at all."

"Makes sense," she lulled, smoothing her hand over his chest. "Hannah was my great aunt's name. Bart was her husband, short for Bartholomew." He snickered at that name, it was fair, no one these days had names like that.

"Hannah is a nice name. I don't care for Bart, though."

"How about David? That was my favorite cousin's name."

"That's a good name also."

"So that's that then, Hannah for a girl, David for a boy."

"I can't wait to meet them," he said sleepily.

 _A few short weeks later_

She was ready to bite his head off if he told her to breathe one more time.

"What the fuck do you think I'm doing?" She was squeezing his hand tightly and he thought his hand was going to break. He hadn't seen her like this but he kept hearing stories from folks around town. Pregnant women apparently had a tendency to go off on whoever was around when the time came, so he had tried to prepare himself.

"Okay, ma'am, jut pop your feet up on the stirrups and let's get started."

Nora very reluctantly propped her legs up and groaned, sweat collecting on her forehead. Danse sucked in a quick breath in order to avoid cursing in pain. She was putting up a hell of a fight until the doctor administered some med-x.

"You've got a long way to go, unfortunately. You're only just dilated now, I'm afraid. These are just early contractions."

Danse glared at the doctor and could have punched him. Nora loosened her grip on his hand enough for him to slide free and she looked up at him groggily.

"This is going to take forever, why don't you make yourself useful and bring me some scotch?"

He laughed and pressed a gentle kiss on the top of her head. She was used to drinking; the pregnancy had been hard for her in that aspect. This shot of med-x was her first in 9 months and he could see the tension rise from her brow. She was still in a fair amount of pain but the dose definitely helped.

"She's right. It might take up to 20 more hours. So either you can wait here with her or we'll call you when she's close."

Danse straightened his back and put his hand on her shoulder. "I'm not leaving her side."

He sounded more menacing than he had tried for and the doctor took a few steps back. "Well how about you let us know when she's going through another bout of contractions." He left quickly after that, leaving the door open.

Nora seems to calm down after a while and almost falls asleep. All the while Danse watches her closely; watches her chest rise and fall with each breath, watches her hands twist the thin sheet over her into small knots. He knew this was the calm before the storm, if she was in that much pain and it wasn't even time for the main event he knew it was going to be a blow out.

"How are you doing?" He saw her turn to him with closed eyes and then she sighed.

"Right now, just tired and anxious. I hope I didn't hurt your hand."

"The pain is worth the comfort I bring you."

She hummed, "you're such a big lug."

 _15 hours later_

They had told Danse to leave the room. The only reason he complied was because they said it was for her health. He had been pacing the hall ever since, and that was three hours ago. He couldn't help but imagine the worst-case scenario; what if she died? What if the baby died? What if both died? He was deep in thought and just about swung on the doctor's assistant when he came to retrieve Danse.

"Sir? Your wife is ready to see you."

Danse blanked for a moment, about to correct the much shorter man but he liked the sound of Nora being his wife. As he followed the assistant to the room he thought of his new family and being able to raise a child even though his anatomy wouldn't allow it.

The moment he saw them he felt his chest broaden with pride and he didn't fight the tears that came to him. Nora looked so peaceful now that she had given birth, as if a giant weight had been lifted off her uterus. There was a baby in each arm, he didn't know what to make of it.

"Look who's here," she spoke barely louder than a whisper. "It's your daddy."

Danse sobbed, now crouching on the floor with his face in his hands. He never thought that after he was revealed as a synth he'd be a father and here it was. Nora smiled over at him and let him take his time, she understood how emotional he must be right then. Eventually he made his way over to her and he dried his eyes on the back of his wrist.

"Twins," she said, "probably very rare these days."

Danse was in awe at the little faces with closed eyes. They were so small, he couldn't comprehend it.

"They're both girls, Hannah and… well I was thinking we could name the other Sarah."

He looked Nora in the eyes then, his mind wandering back to years ago when he fought alongside Sarah Lyons. She was brave and a good leader, "it's a good name." He knew Nora was thinking of him when she made that decision.

"Do you want to hold them?"

Danse hesitated for a full minute, afraid that he'd drop them before he held out his arms and took a girl in each of them. His heart was so full in that moment, he could hardly think or see or even breathe.

"Thank you," he said, starting to cry again. "Thank you for them. They're so beautiful."

Preston:

"You know you don't have to hold me all the time."

"I know that but, if you knew how much I love you, you wouldn't mind me holding on so tight."

She smiled and leaned back against him. They stood up high among the artillery and watched over the Commonwealth, the general and her colonel. He had his arms wrapped around her, one above her bump and one below.

"I love you too, Preston. But I don't want to take away from your duties."

He chuckled and nuzzled the back of her neck with his nose. "My duties can wait for a while. You're here and I want to spend as much time with you as I can before you go back."

He wanted her to stay at Sanctuary because it was safe and he would take up responsibilities at the Castle. It was hard for them to be apart, especially at a time like this. When she was able to visit he took time away to spend as much time with her as he could.

"I'm here for a week, babe, you should probably at least assign someone to take over while you're distracted."

He closed the distance between them and kissed the crook of her neck. "Already taken care of. Believe it or not, I might just have things covered."

"Alright, okay, I get it. Did I mention that I love you?"

He hummed and closed his eyes, feeling happier than he ever had, "you might have."

That week while she stayed with him they slept peacefully, knowing that the Castle was being patrolled. They were able to sleep in late and take their time. Everyone knew about Nora's situation and didn't come to her with requests to aid settlements or set up new strongholds. Everyone was happy to see her, she was quite round at this point and for some reason people lit up when they saw her.

"Promise you'll send word over the radio if anything comes up."

"I will. You take care of these people, I know you can."

"Be safe."

Time apart from her weighed heavily on him. He dedicated all his time to protecting others and she spent most of her time protecting him. Mostly from himself and admittedly he had become a little impulsive without her by his side. He would go out on his own to handle settlements and take care of things where normally she would go with him. He felt like he had to step things up since he'd be a father soon.

He could almost hear her on times like these, ' _you're going to get yourself killed! Then what will I do_? He shrugged it off and slung his rifle over his shoulder. It wasn't a difficult mission, he'd done it hundreds of times. He took one look at his prized castle before heading off to save the day.

 _2 months later_

She was trying to breathe through the pain, gripping viciously at the sheets beneath her. Codsworth was beside her, dabbing her forehead with a cold cloth.

"Where is he?" Nora groaned and wiggled.

"Sturges send word via radio hours ago, mum. It's all a matter of him getting here now."

Nora shouted and leaned forward, bringing her shoulders down to her knees. This was bad, it was really bad and she just wanted it to end, but not without him. She was upset, he should be here by now and he wasn't. He promised he'd be there. He fucking promised.

 _7 months earlier_

"Is there a problem, general?"

"Preston, please, you don't always have to throw rank around."

"Well, is there a problem? You've been keeping your distance and staring at me, I just can't help but worry."

"There's no need to worry. Look," she took a deep breath and turned around a few times. "I've been up front with how I feel about you and it's been great! I just have a lot more feelings than I've been letting on and part of that is because…"

He leaned forward, waiting and listening. He stopped her from pacing and put his hands in hers. "You know you can tell me. Whatever it is, I'm here."

"I'm pregnant."

"Whoa."

She would have laughed if he didn't look so taken aback. "Before the war. Nate and I… we tried for a second baby and-"

He laughed and pulled her hands to him so that she ran into him and he kissed her. It was possibly the sweetest kiss that they'd ever shared and her mind blanked. As soon as he pulled away she unfogged and cleared her throat.

"So, I'm guessing you're not mad."

"Mad? Nora, you're going to have a baby and… well now I guess it's my turn to step it up. Wow. I never thought I'd say this, I always thought I'd just-"

"Hon, you're rambling."

"Right, right. Okay. Nora I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I want to raise this baby with you. I want to be the father and I want you to… to be my w-wife."

"Your wife?"

"Oh hell I jumped the gun, didn't I? Oh shit. Nora I'm-

"Shh. You worry too much."

He stared at her and she stared at him and she took Nate's old ring out of her pocket and slipped hers on. He laughed as she took his hand and shimmied the ring onto his finger, it was a little loose.

"I'd love that. Being your wife. You just have to promise me one thing."

"Anything."

"You'll be there when it's born."

"I wouldn't miss it for the world."

 _Present_

She screamed this time, a bigger push but still no relief.

"I'm gonna fucking kill him!"

"I don't think that'll be necessary," Preston said as he knelt beside her and held her hand. She cried out but she was happy.

"I thought you'd be late."

"I almost was, I had a few things to wrap up before I could get here."

"What- eeeeugh- things?"

"You'll see."

"One more push, one big push, this should be it," called the nurse over Nora's shouting.

Moments later Nora birthed a baby boy and the pain was so great she nearly passed out.

"Stay with us, mum," chimed Codsworth, "it's a boy!"

"A boy?" her words were slurred but she looked around for her baby.

"He looks healthy, too," said the nurse as she took him off to be cleaned.

Nora's eyes rested on Preston and found that he was looking at her with more love than her heart could handle.

"You did so good," he whispered into her ear, followed by a kiss near her ear.

"I love you so much, I'm going to take a nap. Name him, he's your son."

Preston held the baby once he was brought back to them. He was impossibly small and it brought tears to the minuteman's eyes.

"My son," he mouthed inaudibly and held the bundle up to get a better look at him. "Malcom."

Deacon:

"Whoa whoa, wait up a minute. Pregnant? You?"

Nora laughed and punched him in the chest, "yeah, me. I know. Completely unfuckable."

Deacon scowled, "you know that's not what I meant."

Nora pulled him into a hug and scattered kisses over his neck. "You don't have to be the dad if you don't want to be."

He trapped her between his chest and his chin and she balled his shirt into her fists. "I didn't say that. I'm just not so sure that I'm qualified? I'm more of a cool uncle or the strange grandpa that falls asleep during dinner and barks at bloatflies."

She giggled, searching for his hands, still trapped under his neck. "You're not going to ask whose it is?"

He shook his head, releasing her They had always been careful during sex, he was always so afraid to get her pregnant when it turned out she was already knocked up. Talk about irony. "I just figured it was Nate's. I mean you guys were married and junk, it's not like you wouldn't want a ton of kids. Just promise me the kid won't call me dad, okay?"

Nora sighed, kissing his cheek. He pulled her into a more tender kiss and nearly swept her off her feet. Leaning back, he smiled brightly at her, "you can still call me daddy if you want though."

She gasped and hit him in the arm but he quickly kissed her again before she could punch him once more.

 _Three months later_

Nora was showing now and while it was only a little bit, people noticed. Deacon was at her side a lot of the time and tried to alleviate the grief that came with being five months pregnant. More than anything she was grouchy nearly all of the time. He did his best to divert any tasks that the minutemen might have for her and he took Codsworth with him on Railroad missions. She tended to get after him for it, claiming that she was fine and very able to take on a mission here and there.

"Are you kidding me? Nora, there's no way you're going out to the field."

"Deacon, please tell me you're not trying to keep me locked up."

"I'm not, okay? It's just a suggestion. A strong suggestion. You're not leaving Sanctuary."

"I will fight you right now if I have to, don't even think for a second that I will hold back!"

He held back a laugh; she was such a cutie when she was upset with him. Especially since he knew it was false anger, she was just throwing a tantrum.

"I don't doubt that, alright? I just want this baby."

She stared at him and the pink color that rose on his cheeks was too cute to ignore.

"I mean I want it to be safe. Don't give me that look."

She cupped his jaw and pressed on his chin with her thumb. "I know what you meant, Deacon. Still, you're so cute when you care."

"I always care. It just works better if I don't talk about it. Anyway, why are you s angry with me? I thought you'd be all ' _oh Deacon, thank you for caring about the well-being of my unborn child, you suave devil you.'_ "

She shook her head, the voice he imitated her with wasn't great and it only added to her lightening mood. Finally she laughed; "you're right. I should be thanking you. It's just hard being treated so delicately. This isn't my first rodeo in case you've forgotten."

He shrugged and sat down on a chair a few feet from her. "I'd say do what you want, but, you know, you're trapped here. You're my prisoner."

"Like hell, now kiss me before I throw another fit."

 _Three months later_

"I can't stand this anymore, just cut it out of me."

Deacon took a drink of his soda and flipped the page of the magazine he was reading. It was about hair styles mostly, but it was a good read.

"I think you'd like that even less, honestly."

"You have to do it, I don't think you understand the hell that this is. I have to go pee every 10 minutes, I want to eat everything. The smell of my favorite foods make me sick to my stomach. I want to fuck your brains out but also throw you off the roof. This is the worst!"

He didn't look up from his magazine but he did cock his head to the side at the mention of getting laid. It had been too long.

"Deacon! Complain with me!"

"Oh I am, don't you worry."

She groaned loudly for a long time before throwing a handful of bullets at him. That did the trick; he set the tabloid down and walked over to her. He stood over her, straddling her slightly, and rubbed her belly.

"Jeez, when are you going to pop already?"

"Don't even get me started again."

 _Next month_

For all that he was there for during her pregnancy of course he wasn't there when the baby was actually delivered. He was on his way back from a quick dead drop when it happened. As soon as he got back he wanted to see her. He held the boy, looking at him through sunglasses that shielded the emotion behind them.

"Hey there little guy." He felt a strain in his chest unlike anything he had ever known. He welcomed it instead of pushing it away like so many other things. His lip quivered and he chanced a smile, "I'm your dad."

Nora covered her mouth, smiling very hard but not wanting to ruin the moment. He had been so afraid to be a part of something that could make him happy. He never said that he wanted a relationship with her. He never agreed to being a father or a husband, but here he was. She only wished that now he'd accept all these feelings she had for him.

"What are we going to call him?"

She shrugged with her whole upper body, "I don't know; you're the dad, you can have some input."

He laughed briefly, looking down at his son. "Humphrey."

She scoffed, spurring him on to laugh more hardily. "Well what about Sergio," he asked, sounding more sure of himself this time.

"Sergio? Where did you come up with a name like that?"

"I read it in one of those girly magazines you keep around."

"You know I only hold onto those for you, handsome."

"Wow, a compliment!"

She smirked at him but rested back against the pillow. "I think Sergio is a fine name."

"You hear that, buddy? I got to pick your name. We're gonna be good friends, just you wait."

Cait:

She has no idea Nora's Pregnant until about 8 months when she gets nosy. Nora had been wearing large jackets and power armor most of the time and when she wasn't mingling with the settlers she was alone in her house. One day Cait lets herself in to see Nora with a bit of a belly and she goes through all stages of grief.

"What in the hell is going on here?"

Nora is about to throw a blanket over herself but she realizes the damage is already done.

"Go on, gawk, I'm pregnant alright?"

Cait is about to lash out again when she suddenly goes from anger to sadness in one fell swoop. She plops down on the bed beside her and rests her hand on the swollen belly with a shudder. She tries her best not to let the tears flow but it's a winless battle.

"How long?" Cait removes her hand to wipe away the few tears that form. Nora sighs and smiles softly, taking Cait's free hand.

"Only a few more weeks left. It's been an easy pregnancy. I've been trying to figure out how to tell you in a way that wouldn't make you mad."

Then the denial came, and it hit hard. Cait's hands trembled and she pulled away from Nora.

"So who's is it then, huh? Is it Danse's? Maybe Deacon?" Her heart rate was up, her skin hurt, her eyes burned with more tears. Nora sat up a little, knitting her brows together and taking a slow breath as she thumbed Cat's face dry.

"Cait, you need to calm down. I came out of the vault pregnant. I wouldn't tell you I love you and then run off with someone else."

Cait sighed with relief, replacing her hand on Nora's bump. Her lips twitched until she was smiling, she had never seen a pregnant belly before, not like this. It wasn't as round as she'd been with Shaun, back then nutrients and vitamins were ample but now things were different.

"What are you gonna call it?"

"I thought you might like a say in that, after all you'll be its parent too."

Cait's eyes lit up, her smile traveling all the way up her face. She laid down beside Nora, wrapping herself around her.

"I like the name James, it's my cousin's name in DC." Nora nodded, playing with strands of Cait's hair.

"What if it's a girl?"

Cait was quiet, eyeing the popped belly button.

"I don't know. I always imagined there being a baby boy in my life, never thought of a girl. Maybe Laura. It's a pretty name."

"It is a pretty name."

They rested together in comfortable silence, and it might have stayed that way except that not three weeks later the time had come. Nora was just getting out of the power armor and about to lie down when her water broke. At that point there was no use hiding her condition, she left the house at once. Cait was beside her, holding her hand as she struggled through the first few hours of labor. It was very touch and go for a while there, she would go an hour or two of pain followed by three hours of nothing. By the time everything was done Nora was tired, almost too tired to hold her baby girl.

"Laura, it's a pretty name," she managed to say before letting her head fall back. Cait started to stress but the doctor assured her that she was fine.

After Laura was cleaned and swaddled she was handed to Cait, who was not ready for that at all.

 _Oh geez, oh god, oh heck_

The baby was so small she didn't even feel real as Cait held her in unconfident hands. She looked at the tiny face, it all felt so incomprehensible, none of it made sense.

"Hi there, Laura, I'm so glad to finally meet you." Her voice was gentle, more so than she had ever heard herself be. The baby didn't stir, she didn't whine, she didn't make a peep, she only slept. Cait felt herself crying again, this time there were no doubts in her mind, this small human had stolen her heart. Nora shifted, breaking Cait's focus from Laura.

"You two are so precious," her voice was gravely from having screamed for about half an hour straight.

"Nora, she's beautiful," she still spoke softly, afraid to disturb the sleeping bundle. She had her family now, and as she handed Nora her baby she took in the entire image. The feeling of what it was to finally be part of something she didn't even realize she was after was more than she could ever want.

"I'm glad you're here," Nora told Cait while setting Laura against her bare chest. It was all so unreal still, Cait sunk back into her seat.

"Me too."

Hancock:

He held her close with her back against his chest. His fingers drew lazy circles over her belly as he hummed quietly. It had been like this for a few months now, in the warm sunlight of late afternoons he'd pull her into his lap and cuddle with her.

She had been having a rough pregnancy; she could hardly keep any food down and every morning for the first three months had her vomiting. She wasn't able to work with the Railroad under these conditions and it stressed her out. It was the least he could do to comfort her in her time of need. She was worried that she would be too heavy to sit on his lap but he shushed her, now that she was there with him he didn't complain, he didn't need to. She fit there like a glove.

 _Five months earlier_

"You seem pretty distant lately, you wanna tell me what's up?"

Nora sat on the couch across from him and rubbed her hands together, a nervous tick he had noticed after a couple weeks. She didn't look him in the eye as she spoke but she was very clearly in distress.

"I don't want you to think there's someone else. There's not, I promise."

He swallowed hard and stood up, tugging at the ends of his sleeves. "You know, that's one hellova way to start an explanation. You've got me nervous now, Sunshine."

She laughed dryly and brought her hands to her knees. "John, I'm pregnant. I have been for a couple months now. It's from before the war, with Nate."

Suddenly he couldn't breathe. All the air had left his lungs and he held onto the windowpane for leverage. He wasn't mad, he had no reason to be; he was just shocked. He felt her eyes on him as he tried to regain his composure but it took a while.

"So when we met, you were…"

"Yup."

"And those times we… you were…"

"That's right."

He took off his hat and let it fall to the floor as he walked back to her. Slowly, he too fell to the floor and dropped to his knees in front of her. He grabbed her hands and kissed her knuckles.

"Nora, I know it hasn't been long that we've been together but I would be the best man a ghoul could be if… if you let me be a part of that kid's life."

Nora pulled him up to her and kissed his forehead. "I was hoping you'd ask."

"Really?"

"Mhmm."

"You mean I can be the dad?"

"Yes, dear."

"No bullshit. I'm serious. I want this."

"So do I, now get off your knees and sit with me."

He didn't move from his spot, he only looked at her with the biggest smile he could muster. It was too soon to say it out loud then, but he felt it in his heart that he loved that woman. He had never thought about having kids, especially after his transition to ghoul. He figured it was a lost cause to even want kids.

"John, come up here. I'm not getting on the floor!"

He chuckled softly, not even realizing that he hadn't moved to meet her the entire time he thought. He sat down beside her and she scooted into his lap so that she lay against him. He couldn't imagine a happier time. He wanted to celebrate, have a party with the entire town, hell even shout about it from the banister. But for now he cradled her between his legs and leaned back against the arm of the couch.

 _Six months later_

She was quite round now for being a bit underweight. He tried his best to get her to eat but it wasn't without argument. She knew he was trying to help but she really wished he'd get off her back about eating.

"I'm fucking trying, okay? It's just every time I eat I throw up and my throat burns. I'm sure there's little craters in there, I'm practically suffering the effects of a 50-year smoker in my thirties."

"I know you are, I'm just worried it'll come out all skimpy and fragile."

She squeezed his hand hard until her arm shook and finally let go.

"I love you, you know that?"

"I love you too," he said, slowly dropping the fork to his plate. He watched her leave the kitchen and he sighed. It was hard to have her so short-tempered with him. She had told him it was the hormones and that she wasn't mad at him but it wasn't easy.

He followed her out to the bedroom shortly after he cleaned up and sat on the end of the bed. She was on her side, not asleep but her eyes were closed.

"I don't mean to snap at you."

He massaged her foot and tried not to focus on the pain in his chest. He wished things were like before when they got along so well.

"I… I know. I just don't understand why we can't go five minutes without arguing about something."

She rolled onto her back and sat up to face him. "Do you really want to get into this right now?"

He set her foot down and sighed. "That's just it, Nora, I don't. I don't want to fight. I just want to lie with you and love you and spend all my time with you without you jumping down my throat at the drop of a hat." He stood up and was about to leave when he heard her gasp.

"John, something… something's happening. I think this is it. I think the baby's coming."

He spun around on a heel and rushed to her side. "Are you okay? Are you in pain?"

"No," she said, slowly getting out of bed. "No, I feel fine, I just, my water broke I think. Unless I pissed myself. Oh shit. John it's happening right now."

He moved frantically, they didn't talk about what this would be like. They didn't have an escape plan, they didn't have a doctor ready for them, they weren't even where they thought they'd be when it was time. They were in Goodneighbor and Codsworth wasn't around to provide assistance.

"What do we do?" He asked, he felt useless. She, however, was calm and it was making him feel a little better.

"Go get Daisy. We've talked a little about how she would be able to help." She took a deep breath and let it all out at once.

Hancock ran out into the street and cursed under his breath, he was disoriented for a moment, it was a lot brighter outside and he felt blinded. "Daisy!" He didn't know how fast he needed to be but it felt too slow. The older woman quirked her brow at the mayor until she saw the look on his face. "Is it time?" Hancock nodded and as she closed up shop he ran back to the statehouse ahead of her.

Daisy entered their room to see Nora pacing with her hand dragging against the wall. Hancock was standing in the corner looking terrified. Daisy cleared her throat and took Nora's discarded pipboy in her hands to check the time.

"Any contractions yet?"

Nora shook her head but didn't stop walking. "I'm a few weeks early, Daisy. I'm a little scared."

Hancock felt himself stop breathing. He couldn't tell that she was scared, he didn't know that she was early either. He was now even more anxious, could this be dangerous? He had no way of knowing what she was going through and he just wanted to help.

"Hancock, honey, I know you want to be useful but you're stressing me out. Go wait out in the hall."

"But I-"

"I promise she will be taken care of to the best of my abilities. I'll holler if something comes up, okay?"

He stood there, still as a board for a moment before he turned to leave the room.

"Oh and Hancock, it could be a while."

A lot of time had passed where he heard nothing but the pulse in his ears. It was in that time that he thought about everything and how he had been overreacting. He loved her so much, he wanted nothing more than to make her happy. He was lucky enough that she'd have him and even luckier that she'd share the life of her child with him. He had been blessed and he knew it, he just hoped she knew he wasn't taking it for granted.

Then he heard her scream. He knew it would happen but it still struck him. It was awful to hear her in pain like that and it took everything in him not to burst in, he knew he'd just get in the way. He couldn't just sit around though, so he left. He paced around outside for a while before heading to the Third Rail. He figured if he was out of the building where he couldn't hear her it might be easier to bear.

The moment he set foot in the bar he turned around. He was going mad, he just knew it. He was afraid something might happen while he was away and what if she needed him or something went wrong. He ran back up the stairs and sat back down where he was before.

Hours passed before he heard Daisy call him. He had nearly dosed off but he was quick to spring to action. The room was eerily quiet as he walked towards the bed. Daisy was sitting beside Nora, the bundle in her arms wiggling only slightly.

"Here he is, Hancock, your baby boy."

"A boy?"

"That's right. Here, you sit down, I'll hand him to you."

He looked over at Nora who was breathing shallowly and wore a tired but happy expression. He sat down and Daisy very delicately placed the boy in his arms. He was awestruck. He had never held a baby before; the very idea that he was going to act as the father was blowing his mind.

"I'll leave you guys to it then. I gotta get back to the shop. Congratulations you two."

"Thank you for everything, Daisy," he rasped. He didn't take his eyes from the baby.

"Nora, are you awake?"

"Hmm?"

"He's perfect. What do we call him?"

"I love you too," she sighed. He smiled, Daisy must have drugged her up pretty good.

"I think, for now, I'll call you Mitch." He looked at Nora for some kind of response whether it be good or bad. When she didn't react he looked back at his son.

"Holy shit," he breathed, looking at the teeny tiny hands. "You're so small. I thought you'd be louder."

And he was happy.

Piper:

She couldn't stop smiling and despite Nora's pleading for her to stop, she was clapping excitedly.

"Really, Piper? Must you?"

Piper shoved her arms to her side and yet the look on her face didn't change. "It's just so exciting, Nora! None of my friends have had babies! Now you're going for baby number two!"

"It's really that much of a big deal these days?"

"It's huge! All the kids around here must have been born around the same time or something because they're all Nat's age. Which is great, gives her the possibility of tons of friends but… But there's no babies!"

"I didn't know you were so big on babies."

Piper shrugged and took a few steps around Nora, circling her while caught in her thoughts. "I never get to meet any babies. I don't know if I like them or not, I don't know if they're cute. But I've seen puppies and they're great so human puppies should be just as cute, right?"

Nora laughed and trapped Piper in a hug on her second time around her. The reporter stilled and returned the hug. In all the time they had known each other, this was probably the third or fourth hug Nora had given her and Piper took it all in.

"What if you helped me raise him? Or her? Would that be something you'd want to do?"

"Are you kidding me? You'd let me help you raise a living breathing baby? Are you out of your mind?"

Nora brought her brows together and began to speak before Piper cut her off.

"I'd love that! You have no idea how much I was hoping you'd ask!"

Piper gave a tight squeeze before finally releasing Nora, but Nora didn't let go just yet.

"I want you to be 100% sure, Piper. This is a big deal." Nora dropped her arms and looked at Piper closely. There was no sign of doubt on her face, no hint of apprehension, not even a second thought.

"I'm sure. What are friends for?"

 _Six months in_

"Are you okay in there?"

Piper stood outside the bathroom and listened as Nora hissed quietly a long line of swears. Piper found her some larger clothes that looked like they should have fit but from the sound of it, maybe not.

"I can give you hand if you need," Piper chirped from the hall only to be met with a groan and the door opening.

Nora was wearing a thick, green dress with long sleeves and a turtle neck. Piper stifled a laugh but the smile betrayed her.

"It's not funny!" Nora shouted a little louder than she meant to. She held her arms out and turned around quickly. "I feel fat."

Piper's face fell, suddenly she was sad for her friend. Seeing Piper's face didn't help the situation and Nora started crying.

"No, no, no! No, Nora, you're not fat, you're pregnant. It's different! Besides, I think it's a good look for you!" She hugged the vault-dweller and Nora hung her head and sobbed dryly.

"I don't look good."

"But you do! You're beautiful!"

"Don't patronize me, Piper, I'm huge!"

"Stop saying that, you're going to make yourself feel worse. You're always beautiful. Cheer up, alright? You're over half way through, I think?"

Nora nodded and Piper took a few steps back. "It's just the hormones, I'm just going through a lot. There's a lot of pressure but… but I'm okay. I'm going to be okay!"

After a moment of having a stiff upper lip, she crumpled again into Piper's arms.

"What am I doing? I wasn't supposed to be pregnant! I wasn't supposed to lose Shaun, Nate wasn't supposed to die! What if I can't do this Piper?"

"Now you stop that. I know you, you're the strongest woman I know. You could raise this baby on your own if you wanted to, but you've got me, okay? I'm here for you, I've got your back. I always have since the get go, so you just settle down."

Nora took a while to get a hold of herself but after some time she straightened up and took a few big breaths. "Thank you, I needed that. I am glad you're here. I don't take you for granted, you know that don't you?"

"Of course I do, Blue, let's see what other clothes we can find here and then head out. Sound good?"

"Yeah."

Over the next few months Piper helped prevent several more breakdowns. They grew stronger together and as the date grew nearer they were happy. Piper had taken it upon herself to bring the specific foods Nora requested to her no matter how strange. Today Nora was snacking on mirelurk eggs blended with tato juice. The smell of it was so damn awful that Piper nearly gagged a few times while making it.

"What the hell drives you to ask for such a gross combination of shit?"

Nora shrugged, eating happily, "it sounded good. You want some?"

"Um, no. No thanks."

"Oh thank god."

Piper shook her head, smiling tiredly. She had spent a lot of time awake while Nora slept to keep up on the paper. She had a job to do, after all, and she couldn't take a break just because Nora was pregnant.

After a few long weeks, a very difficult night of labor and another tiresome later Nora was at home, sitting in the sun with her baby girl nursing happily.

"You're a foodie like your mama, I see." Nora looked up quickly to see Piper with Nat at her side.

"Piper! I didn't expect to see you for another two days! And Nat! Always so good to see you, come in!"

"N-Nora, your… you're hanging out a little there," Nat stammered at the sight of Nora's breasts as she fed the baby.

"Don't worry about that, I've got to feed her, this is how it's done." She hummed as she brought a small, thin blanket over herself.

Piper walked over to Nora and put her hand on the baby's back. "I'm sorry I wasn't here."

"Nat was sick, you did exactly what any good sister would have done. What any mother would have done. How could I be upset with you?"

"I was just kinda hoping you wouldn't be mad."

"Never."

"What did you end up naming her?"

Piper looked down at the baby on her chest with the biggest smile, "Alexia."

"Could I hold her?"

"If you don't mind getting spitup on you, sure. Let me just give you a rag."

With a rag over her shoulder, Piper carried around the little girl that she had- in her own way- helped into this word. "Hey there, pretty girl. I'm Piper, I'm gonna be your auntie. That's Nat, _Nat come here_!"

Nat moved over silently and got a good look at Alexia with her mouth half open. Piper bounced a little and gave the baby a kiss on the head. "I hope you like me because we're going to spend a lot of time together."

MacCready:

He nuzzled his nose against her rounded belly, breathing her scent and smiling slightly. Resting between her legs and having long quiet conversations with the baby through the lump was a pastime of his now. MacCready never thought for a second that it was strange and neither did Nora so he found himself in a comfortable spot while she read.

"Do you think Duncan will like having a baby sibling?" She brought her knees up on either side of him and squeezed him a little.

"He'd only be about a year and a half older than this one. I think he'll love them. I know I will."

She smiled and reached down to touch his cheek with the back of her hand. He traced the grooves of her stretch marks with his fingers and kissed her just below her belly button.

"Were you an outie before?"

She giggled and set down her book. "No, actually. You don't remember?"

He smoothed his hands over her belly, "I guess not. It's been so long."

She closed her eyes and let her legs rest again. He started humming and before long she was asleep. The past eight months had been great; she was sick in the beginning but beyond that she did well. If anything she was low on energy, sleeping up to 15 hours per day. She said it was normal so he didn't think anything of it but he liked to stay with her.

"Are you asleep?"

She didn't answer so he ever so slowly crept up from her and left to go check on Duncan in the other room. He was sitting against the rails of the crib, chewing on an alien toy. "Hey there, tough guy!"

Duncan looked over to his dad and gave him a toothy grin. "Tat!" He couldn't pronounce his 'D's just yet and Mac got a kick out of it every time.

"I'm proud of you for being such a good boy. You've been so quiet. What do you think, you want a snack?"

He was leaning over the crib, sneaking sweetened mashed carrots to Duncan when he heard Nora clear her throat from the doorway.

"What a spoiled boy!" She strolled over to him and bent down to rub her nose on Duncan's. MacCready smiled and put his hand on her lower back. It was times like these when he fell more in love with her. He was excited to have another kid around, even more than that he was happy it was with her.

"That was a short nap," he kissed her cheek when she straightened herself up again. She smiled at him and gripped the crib tightly.

"We really should have another crib made for the baby. I don't think Duncan will want to share his. Besides, he's getting big. Isn't that right!"

Duncan laughed as she pat him on the head. A long, low groan erupted from her chest as her knuckles paled at the grip she had on the railing. Mac watched, knowing, this wasn't his first rodeo. The timing was off a little from what she predicted but apparently this was a normal thing.

"Maybe you should sit down?"

She grunted and shook her head as she left the room and began to sway. "I can't sit down, MMMMMMM, no. I can't do that, I need TO mOVE!"

She growled out some words and he could only watch as she took wide sweeping steps and squatted several times. After a few minutes she sighed and slid down the wall. "Stat counting, hon, I want to time these."

MacCready nodded and tapped his foot to help keep time. Lucy had delivered naturally, right there in a shack in the middle of the night. From the looks of it, Nora was going to do the same thing. She was a strong woman and supposedly gave birth without the help of a doctor the first time around claiming that it had been done for millions of years.

She shouted out after some time and stood up again, bouncing each step. "24 minutes I think?"

She hissed and shook her head, "that doesn't sound right, are you sure? It felt more like three minutes."

"No, Nora, it was at least 20 minutes."

She cursed and waddled some more until the pain wore off. "Still no water break either. Damn." MacCready wrinkled his nose. She was trying to cut down on swearing but he understood that it was hard for her right now.

Hours had passed before her water did finally break and she laughed triumphantly. "Finally! There is a God!" She cackled and Mac forced a laugh also, seeing her like this was definitely not normal, but he tried to see things from her perspective.

"I have to do this on my own, okay? Please?"

"Absolutely not, Nora. What if something goes wrong?"

"Then I'll call you. Please, Rob, I'll be fine, I promise, just-" she howled practically, crouching from the pain. "Just let me do this okay? I'll be fine."

With that she turned away and headed into the spare room, closing the door behind her. He stood there, in a whirl of worry and determination. He trusted her, he had to, he just hoped she knew what she was doing.

He had almost nodded off when he heard the baby cry. His first instinct was to check on Duncan. He shot up from beside the crib and looked at his son; asleep, so precious. He made his way to the room where Nora was in and opened the door slowly. He knew there would be a mess but he wasn't exactly prepared for it. He tried not to look at the pile of gore as he walked over to her.

The baby was still wailing as she held it to her bare chest. He put a blanket over them and soon the baby was warm enough to be lulled to a hush. Nora was sweating and wincing and taking deep breaths. The cord was clamped in her teeth and he tried his best not to freak out but he was on the brink of losing it.

"Do you want me to… to cut it?"

She nodded, gesturing to some forceps and scissors on a low shelf. He moved quickly and once the cord was removed she worked her jaw around.

"Are you okay?"

"Never been better. Do you want to hold him?"

"Him? Another boy? Another boy! My Duncan's got a baby brother!"

Nora carefully handed the baby over to MacCready who wrapped him up tight in the blanket. He kissed him on the head and forehead and laughed to hide the audible sob that escaped him.

"You're pretty cute," he said finally. "You remember my voice? I'm gonna be your daddy. Wow. You're so handsome, look at you."

Nora picked herself up and moved over to the tub to wash herself off and get in a warm bathrobe. When she was finished she went to lie in her shared bed. MacCready followed her to the bedroom and placed the baby on her chest again.

"I want to call him something bold." The boy cooed, fussing slightly and his hands grabbed loosely at her skin.

"I like the name Oliver, if that means anything." MacCready watched her happily and brushed her hair from her face with his fingertips.

"Oliver, I like it. Not exactly bold… but it's a good strong name," she said, yawning. "I'm so tired."

"You look beautiful," he kneeled down to her and kissed her cheek. "I love you. Both of you."

Nick:

He was smoking up a storm outside in the waiting area. He hadn't been this stressed since before the war and now? Now there was a baby involved. Ellie waited with him, sitting in one of the chairs against the wall while he stood in the same spot, staring at the ground. She considered herself lucky to be part of this at all, Nora had named her the godmother and she nearly cried.

"How long has it been? I should be in there with her."

"There's nothing you'd be able to do for her, Nicky, these things just need to happen naturally."

He cursed under his breath and dropped the cigarette from his mouth with a sigh.

"What if something goes wrong?"

"There's two very skilled doctors in there, I'm sure they've got it under control."

He was glad she was there to keep him at bay, otherwise he might have made a scene. Just as he was about to open a new pack one of the doctors stepped out into the clearing.

"You can come back now, just one at a time."

 _Several months earlier_

"I know you'll probably see it as a joke but, I want you to help me raise this baby."

"Baby? Nora, you are a baby, why are you having another child?"

She shook her head and sat down wearily behind the desk. He was hard on her because he cared about her, but now was not the time.

"Nick, please, just hear me out okay? I was pregnant before the bombs dropped, Nate and I were trying for baby number two but here I am with no Shaun and no Nate. All I have is you."

He had his back turned to her and he was rocking slightly on his heels. He used to be great with kids before Diamond City, this shouldn't be any different but it was. This was her kid. Nora did all kinds of things to him that he thought he'd never feel- caring so much about another person was very unusual for him. Ellie was one thing but Nora? She was a wild card.

"Nora, I don't know if I'm the right guy for the job. I'm not exactly the warm and affectionate father type."

"Nick, how 'bout you let me worry about that? You're great with kids, I've seen you with them. I know Ellie's no child but she looks up to you. I just…" she sighed and stood up. "Alright, you know what? Don't worry about it."

The detective turned to her as she prepared to leave and took her arm in his bare hand. It wasn't a tight grip, but he pulled her to him and pressed her head to his chest with his other hand.

"I just want you to make the right choice."

"I have," her voice was quiet as a front to hide her excitement.

"I'd be honored to raise your kid with you."

Ellie was over the moon when she heard the news. Already she started planning a baby shower and a nursery. Nora tried to talk her down from her enthusiasm, but she wasn't having it.

By the time Nora was showing big time Ellie threw the baby shower. People from all around Diamond City were invited and even a few closer friends of Nora's. Cait and Preston showed up, along with Strong. It had to take place in Sanctuary so that Strong could make an appearance and Ellie wasn't exactly thrilled.

"Let's do presents!"

"Ellie, how did you even find out about old baby shower traditions?"

"I'm a well-read young lady, Nora. You'd be surprised!"

Nora received a few new clothes for when she'd finally lose the baby weight, and for those she was grateful. She was sitting close to Nick the entire time, close enough for him to wrap his arm over her shoulders and she'd whisper into his ear now and then. It was close and intimate and not at all what he had come to expect from her. The entire time they were together of late, he'd been more of her noble protector, her moral guide, etc. Now things were changing, maybe for the better.

It was closing out on a high note when they got to have a strange version of wasteland cake- which was more like mashed corn and fancy lad's cakes. Looking around at everyone, suddenly Nora started crying.

"What's the problem, doll?"

Nora looked down at her clean plate and sobbed, letting it fall from her hands.

"I'm tired of being pregnant, I just want to hold my baby," her tone was wavering and he rubbed her back between her shoulders.

"You want everyone to clear out?"

"Yes. No? Oh goddddd." She shook her head and ran her hands over her knees.

"Alright, folks, party's over. Thank you for coming, that's all for now."

Nora was crying onto the back of her wrist while everyone left, leaving their congratulations at the door for her to hear but she wasn't listening. After a while it was quiet and Nick came back to sit with her.

"It was a nice get-together. Ellie always did have a flair for the dramatic."

"Nick?"

"I'm here."

She turned to him, her eyes glossy and her face flushed. They looked at each other for a long time before her hand found his face. It was a soft touch, her thumb grazed over his cheek and he smiled, leaning into her hand just slightly.

"Thank you," she said. "I'm so glad you're here. I'm glad it's you."

She inched towards him and kissed his cheek opposite of her hand. He smiled, but then her mouth moved to his. He was surprised, he never thought this would actually happen, but he melted into her. Too soon she pulled away and sat back in her seat, keeping her eyes on his.

"I knew you'd never act first, you're too much of a gentleman. I can't go on letting you think that I don't have stronger feelings for you. I needed to tell you. Right now."

"So that crying, that was-"

"A ruse."

"Clever girl. Are you sure this is what you want?" His hand was on her knee now and he felt himself heating up.

Her fingers tangled with his and she smiled with a nod, "of course I am." He was on his knees in a flash, running his hands over her belly and giving her light kisses. This was what she wanted. He didn't know it in the beginning but this is right where he longed to be.

 _Present time_

Nick walked into the room, sleeves rolled up and hat back with Ellie. He remembered old world customs about taking hats off in places like this. He saw her first, sitting reclined against pillows and bare-chested. There was a baby there, tinier than he'd imagined it would be.

Her eyes followed him lazily and she stretched her arm out to him and he took her hand.

"What do we have here?"

Nora hummed as his metallic fingers traced down her arm, over the curve of her breast and onto the baby's back. "A boy," she whispered.

Nick grinned as he took in the image of Nora and the baby. He had to hold onto it, make it a memory he'd keep through all the wear and tear he'd acquire in the future.

"What are you going to name him?"

"I like the name Roman, is that okay?"

Nick cocked his head; it was a strange name for this day in age. But he nodded and bended at the waist to kiss her forehead. "It's great."


End file.
